Naruto and the Land of Spira
by yuesmlihui
Summary: Sin comes in the world of Naruto and transport Rookie 9 and everyone else to the world of Spira.  Follow Naruto as he learns about this new world, and learns important lessons that not only help himself, but may help bring a certain teammate back. R&R
1. Other World

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor Final Fantasy X. Masashi Kishimoto and Squaresoft do respectively.

**A/N**: this is set during Naruto Shippuden before the Peini Arc...

Chapter 1

"Hey old man! One order of beef ramen please!" the well-known blonde shinobi, Naruto Uuzmaki, yelled out.

It was just a regular night for Naruto, and Naruto being Naruto, was doing his usual round of night ramen. And soon enough, the a steaming bowl of japanese noodle and broth was set in front of him. Naruto gave a satisfying sigh.

"Ittadakimasu!"

He was about to reach for the chopsticks when he notice his pink haired teammate come and sit next to him.

"Sakura-chan! I didn't know you were going to be here."

The pink-haired kunoichi gave a small smile. "Hey Naruto. Well, to tell you the truth, I didn't. But it's just that I got so hungry, and you of all people know that Ichiraku has the BEST ramen in the village. Oh, I'll have the miso ramen," she noticed the man waiting for her order.

Silence filled the air, along with the sounds of Naruto slurping his ramen. In mid-slurp, Naruto realized something.

"You know Sakura-chan….it's just us here at the ramen stand…."

Sakura gave her hyperactive blonde teammate a weary look. "And…?"

Naruto gave off a creepy grin. "Well, we, two people….two people happened to be a guy and a girl…..a guy and a girl who happen to be good friends and all….I'd say that this is a da-"

"NO I WOULDN'T CALL THIS A DATE YOU IDIOT!" Sakura yelled as she whacked Naruto over the head.

"Ittai!…ehehehe…s-sakura-chan I was just kidding!" Naruto put up his hands in defense. He looked over at Sakura who had steam sizzling out of her head as she ate her food. Naruto sweatdropped.

"We'll, no surprise to find you here Naruto."

Both teammates turned behind them to find Yamato, Kakashi, and Sai.

"Oh hey Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taicho, and…..hm….funny…I don't believe we've met before," Naruto glowered at Sai.

Sai put on his fake smile, "Oh….well who could ever forget the guy who doesn't have any balls?"

"WHY YOU-"

Sakura quickly cut in before anything could happen. "Is there something you guys need?" she looked at Kakashi and Yamato. "It's strange for all of you guys to be here at the same time…"

Yamato's face was serious. "Tsunade-sama wants to see us," he said in a strange voice. Naruto stopped bickering at Sai while Sakura gave her full attention to the wood-wielding man. Even Kakashi had a serious look in his eye.

"Huh? A new mission?" Naruto asked.

"Not exactly," Kakashi said, "Strange things have been happening."

"What kind of strange things sensei?" Sakura asked.

Yamato spoke up. "Weird portals have been opening up in various places in Konoha, Suna, and all the other villages."

"Portals?" Sai asked.

A stress mark appeared on Naruto forehead. "YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT EITHER? *SMACK* Ittai…."

"Naruto would you just shut up already!" Sakura had punched him on the head.

"Not only that…but strange monsters have been coming out from the portal," Kakashi added.

"Yamato-taicho, these monsters. What are they?" Sai asked.

"We don't know, but Tsunade-sama wants us to go to the office immediately," Yamato said as he and Kakashi turned to go to the Hokage tower.

######

_At the Hokage's tower_….

All the members of Rookie 9 including the sand siblingsand Sai were present, as well as Jiraiya, Kakashi, Yamato, Gai (Kurenai's on maternity leave XD). Everyone was here….but failed to notice a small boy in purple hiding in the back.

"Alright," Tsunade began, "I'm sure you all know what's been happening." Everyone nodded. "Strange things have been happening: portal-like actives, strange creatures coming out f them and attacking villages." Tsunade sat back on her chair. "Unfortunately, they've been happening more frequently."

Murmurs from Rookie 9 began. "Suna's Kazekage has agreed to help us investigate this new threat. You all are to investigate these portals and report back to me. Is that understood?"

"Hai Tsunade-sama."

"Kakashi, Yamato, Gai, and Jiraiya will be accompanying you guys as well. And even though I've appointed Shikamaru as your captain, these jounin have the authority to override anything. Is that clear?"

"Hai!"

"Good. Now I want to also emphasize that under NO circumstances, do I want ANY of you to interact with these portals. Since we still do not know their purpose or power, I want all of you to be very cautious of them."

"Hai!"

"Good. Now get going. You guys have...*sigh* yes Naruto?"

"Hey Granny-Tsunade….what role does that kid over there have?" Naruto pointed to the boy dressed in purple in the back. Everyone turned to look at him. Tsunade stood up and narrowed her eyes to look at the boy.

"I've never seen him before. How did he get in here?" Tsunade muttered quietly, "Grr…Izumo….Kotetsu….those good for nothing…"

Shizune sweatdropped, "ehhh….Tsunade-sama, would you like me to remove him?"

"I don't know how he got in. It's okay, one of you can take him out. He's probably lost or something. Anyway," all focus was back on Tsunade, "You all have tonight to pack. You leave-"

"They can't tonight."

All eyes were on the boy again. Kakashi and Yamato eyed the boy warily. Everyone stared at the boy. "Sin is coming," the boy said.

Naruto was the first to break out of it. He stomped over to the boy. "Listen here you…I don't care who you are, or how you got in here. But I've had just enough of your blabbering!" He went to punch the boy but was surprised when the punch went through him. Everyone gasped.

Sakura put up a hand signal. "Release!"

Nothing happened. The boy was still standing. Suddenly, his postured went stiff. "It's here!" and as soon as he said that he disappeared. Two ANBU members suddenly appeared…out of breath.

"Hokage-sama! Another portal has been opened!" one member panted. "And this time….a massive creature is within it!" the other member said.

"Evacuate the civilians! Hurry!" Tsunade ordered.

Everyone poofed away to the gates of Konohagakure.

######

Everyone couldn't speak. Right in front of them was a gargantuan whale-like beast, it's size rivaling Katsuya's, Manda's, and Gamabunta's size. Maybe even bigger.

"What the hell is that?" Shikamaru exclaimed, "Kiba?" "Don't look at me! It's not even an animal!" Kiba said as he tried to calm down Akamaru.

"Summoning Jutsu?" Yamato suggested. Kakashi shook his head, "It doesn't seem to talk, and I don't think anyone in the history of shinobis had the power to summon a beast like that."

"Whatever it is…we have to stop it," Shizune said.

"Right! Yamato, Gaara, Tenten, Sai! See if you can do any long range damage!" Tsunade ordered.

"Hai!"

"Oi! Granny, why can't we just go in there and attack him!" Naruto exclaimed.

Jiraiya put a hand on his student's shoulder, "Calm down, Naruto. How do you expect us to attack something close range when we don't even know our opponent?"

Sai took out a scroll with paintings of tigers on it. They soon came to life and headed towards the beast. Tenten took out a huge scroll as well and threw it at the beast, weapons hidden within it. Gaara made sand boulders that he launched at the beast, and Yamato summoned wood to appear and attack the beast.

The attacks failed as an unknown source deflected them. The lion paintings disintegrated, the sand rocks burst, and the weapons and wood just fell to the ground after hitting the barrier.

"Hyuuga!" Tsunade called out.

"Byakugan!" Hinata and Neji yelled. They both gasped at what they saw. "N-Neji! Do you see that?" Hinata stuttered. Neji cursed, "Shit! Tsunade-sama! There a strong force field that seems to be around it." He stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Tenten shouted.

"It….it doesn't seem to possess any Chakra!" Neji exclaimed.

Suddenly, the beast began to form an orb around it's mouth. Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Everyone move! It's going to attack!"

Four beams of light shot out of the orb in different directions. The light was blinding. Dust was kicked up.

Shikamaru took his arm away from his face and stood up carefully. He had dodged the beam of light, but just barely. He looked at where the light had hit and saw the damage it caused. "What a drag," he said to himself. He saw other members of Rookie 9 start appearing, unhurt thankfully.

"Is everyone okay?" Tsunade called out. Luckily all the civilians were in the safe-area underground. All of Konoha's shinobis including the ANBU were out.

"What was that?" Ino panted, shocked by the attack.

The beast gave out a cry, it's cry resonating and vibrating. Everyone covered their ears at the sound. It was horrifying!

'This could be bad,' Jiraiya thought to himself. He bit his thumb, drawing a bit of blood, before putting his palm on the gowned. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A large, rusty red colored toad appeared with Jiraiya on top.

"You better have a good reason for summoning me," Gamabunta croaked.

"Now, now, don't get all cranky with me Gamabunta, we have a serious problem on our hands," Jiraiya sternly told Gamabunta.

Gamabunta, who was surprised to hear the severity in his master's voice, felt the presence of a strong and large enemy. He turned to the beast and his eyes widened. "Jiraiya, you can't possibly be wanting me to fight that."

Jiraiya's frown increased. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't an ordinary beast Lady-Tsunade. It's powers are no match for even the mighty tailed demons," Katsuya, who was summoned by Tsunade without Jiraiya noticing, told Tsunade.

Tsunade's eyes widened with fear. "Then…what are…what are we suppose to do?"

The beast gave another cry, and turned it's attention to the shinobi who were posed and ready to fight. Everyone got a chill of fear as they saw all the beady eyes that were towards the front part of the mouth. Before anyone else could attack, everything started to go fuzzy and distorted, as if something was sucking the whole place to another dimension.

Naruto clenched his fist. "Well I'm not gonna just stand here and do nothing. I'mma take this thing down!" He rushed towards the beast.

"Naruto wait!" Tsunade cried out.

The rest of Rookie 9 plus Sai and the sand siblings chased after their blonde-haired friend in an attempt to save him.

Naruto ran at the beast, forming hand signs. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A clone appeared and immediately started to form a rasengan. Naruto jumped up.

"RASENGAN!"

A bright light filled his vision.

"NARUTO!"

######

"Huh?"

Naruto found himself standing in the middle of what seemed to be a road, people running away from something. It was chaos. It was nighttime, buildings were damaged, smoking, on fire.

"Where am I?" Naruto looked around, hoping to see something familiar. He soon was bumped and pushed by people trying to get past him.

"What? Hey! Watch it!" Naruto tried to avoid getting pushed.

Suddenly, everything stopped. It was dead silent. Naruto looked around himself. "What the?" he turned to find the same boy in purple. He stared at the boy. Then recognition flickered in his eyes. "YOU," he growled menacingly. He began to advance on the boy. "What did you-"

"It begins."

Naruto gave a puzzling look, "Huh?"

Then he disappeared and time was normal again. Naruto's eyes widened. "What the hell just happened?" He spotted two figures at the end of the road, going in the direction everyone was running away from. 'Maybe they can give me answers,' Naruto thought to himself as he tried to follow them.

######

Tidus runs down the street where he meets up with Auron again. "Hey, not this way!" he said to the older man.

"Look," Auron said as he gestured towards a huge floating ball of water that's above Zanarkand. Tidus gasped. "We called it 'Sin'" Auron explained.

Tidus looked at him, "Sin?"

Tentacles smash out of a nearbye building. Hundreds of small pods eject from the tentacles, landing on the ground. They turn into small bug creatures which surround Tidus in a demi-circle. He aimlessly tries to fight them off with his hands, but eventually falls backwards

"Take it." Tidus sees a sword that Auron offers him. He takes it and holds it high in the air, before nearly dropping it. "A gift from Jecht," Auron added.

Tidus looked at Auron with surprise. "My old man?" Tidus moves forward, swinging the blade. The bug-creatures move backwards. Tidus falls backwards onto and stands up again.

"I hope you know how to use it," Auron said to him before getting into a fighting stance.

The battle begins. They cut some of the bugs, but only more drop to fill in the gaps.

"These ones don't matter. We cut through!" Auron said to Tidus.

They continue killing the bugs and again, more bugs replace them. Slowly, they started making their way through. They were suddenly surrounded by the bugs.

"Don't bother going after all of them. Cut the ones that matter and run!" Auron instructed the younger boy.

They fought more bugs and were able to make a break through, more bugs falling behind them. A loud noise occurs. Tidus looks at Auron, who begins to run to the noise. Tidus follows. They come face to face with the big tentacle monster, surrounded by a few of the bugs from before. Battle begins with Sinspawn Ammes.

######

"Crap! Where did all of you come from?" Naruto exclaimed as he tried avoiding the bugs. One of the bugs spat small beams at Naruto, who easily dodged it. He couldn't get through. And if he couldn't get through, he wouldn't be able to find those two people. He smirked.

"Well…if that's the way you want it. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" millions of Naruto clones appeared and began making a pathway for the real Naruto, killing and destroying bugs.

Naruto kept running and stopped when he spotted the two people he was looking for. He was about to head for them when he saw the big tentacle monster. "What the hell?" He continued running towards them, determined to help them out.

######

Tidus and Auron were a little worn out from the sinspawn attacking them. They've defeated all the tentacles but one, which seemed to be the main one. Tidus was about to use his overdrive attack when a shout came out of no where.

"RASENGAN!"

A bright blue ball was shoved into the monster. He exploded before going translucent and bursting into pyreflies.

"Huh?" Tidus looked at Naruto. "Who are you?" He then noticed that Auron was running up ahead. He ran to catch up with him.

"Hey! A thank you would be nice you jerk!" Naruto shouted after Tidus and ran after him as well.

Tidus saw Auron had stopped running. "Auron! Let's get out of here!" Naruto had caught up as well.

"We're expected," Auron told him. Tidus just gave the man a confused look. Suddenly, Auron began to run again, Naruto hot on his heels. 'If I'm gonna survive this, I need to stick with them,' Naruto thought.

"Hey! Gimme a break man!" Tidus exclaimed as he followed the two.

The trio appear at a bridge, where stationary pods suddenly turned into the bugs. They all attacked the bugs, but others just filled in the gaps. They were completely surrounded, with an infinite number of bugs around them.

"Hmph, this could be bad," Auron said. He looked around until he spotted a piece of machinery. "That! Knock it down!"

"What?" Tidus exclaimed.

"Trust me, you'll see."

"But how? We can't risk being vulnerable to these things!" Tidus cried.

"No problem!" Naruto reassured the two men. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Once more, a multitude of Narutos appeared and started attacking the bugs. "I'll take care of these buggers for you, and you guys take care of that."

"Hmph," Auron said and began hacking at the machinery with Tidus. The more they hit it, the more it crackles with energy. Eventually, it explodes. It falls off the bridge, creating a massive explosion. All the bugs are destroyed. The bridge itself begins to blow up.

"Go!" Auron yelled.

They continue to run, avoiding the bridge which is blowing up. Tidus makes a huge leap and grabs onto the edge of a broken part of the road, which is diagonally facing upward. He hangs onto the ledge. Auron walks to the edge, standing above Tidus' hands.

"What the hell is happening!" Naruto yelled as he was sucked into the vortex.

Auron looks at the ball which contained Sin. "You are sure?" he asked. Auron looks back down at Tidus. "This is it." He leans down to pick Tidus up by the collar of his shirt. "This is your story….it all begins here."

Everything went white.

_**A/N:**_So what did you guys think? I'm sorry if it was sloppy. I just wanted the first chapter up. Please REVIEW. It would mean a lot to me!


	2. Oui are Al Bhed

**A/N**: I do not own Naruto or Legend of Zelda.

Chapter 2

Naruto groaned as his eyes opened. He was lying on a rock int he middle of nowhere. The sky was dark. Naruto looked around himself. "It looks like I'm in some sort of…ruins," he told himself. He got up and took a look around. It was slightly drizzling where he was. He took a look behind him and found a huge worn down palace like building.

"Maybe someone I know is in there." Naruto towards the building. 'I hope those two guys are okay,' he thought to himself. He crossed a bridge to get to the entrance, missing a bunch of mysterious glowing red dots in the water below.

Naruto found the palace to be deserted. "Sakura! Kakashi-sensei! you guys in here?" he called out from the entrance. "Bushy-brow? Kiba?" He walked down a hall that stopped at a double door. He pushed them open to reveal a large room. Water dripped down in little streams. Naruto sighed as he saw no one. "Well, nothing to do but wait I guess." He sat down. "I really need to figure out what's going on here."

######

Tidus laid on the ground unmoving. Groaning, he wakes up and slowly gets up. He looks around to see a dark and creepy place. He was on a rock that was surrounded by water. A dark, large silhouette of a building was scene in the distance dispute the grey heavy clouds above him.

"Anybody there?" No answer. "Auron!" Still no answer. Tidus threw back his head. "HEEY!" He looks up. A bird flies away, towards the large structure. Tidus swims towards it, then finally reaches it. He walks along a stone structure and looks at the water below. All of a sudden, it breaks. He looks around the watery area. He descends into the water. Suddenly, a group of fish surround him, and he's forced to fight them. He kills off two of them, so only one remains.

The battle ends. A massive fish creature approaches them, knocking over some stones along the way. Tidus dives out of the way, as the big fish gulps the little fish. The big fish sees him, and a battle begins; Tidus against Geosgaeno. The two exchange hits. After a few rounds, the battle ends. Tidus begins swimming away from the massive creature.

"Woah!"

He looks around, and sees an opening he can swim into. He begins to swim to the opening as quickly as possible, as the fish gains on him. The fish nearly has him entirely in its mouth as Tidus averts disaster. The scenes changes and Tidus, flung through the opening into another section of the building, lands safely into a thin layer of water. Several stones from above collapse and block the passage. He stands up. "Whew, out of the frying pan….and into the freezer." He wraps his arms around himself and begins to walk.

######

The ground shakes, waking Naruto up. "Woah! What the…" After the shaking stops, Naruto tried to look for the source in the room, finding nothing. "I guess I better hide." Peeking out from a big pile of rubble, Naruto recognized a man that walked in.

######

Tidus enters another section of the building. It's huge, and entirely empty. He looks around and shivers. "Cold…need…fire."

He looks around, and exits on of the four double doors. He finds somewhere he can make a fire: "The remains of a campfire. With flint and tinder, you could start another fire here." He finds the necessary flint and tinder and the fire is made. He warms his hands above the fire, and then lies down, looking up at the high dome ceiling.

He sighed, "I need food!"

"Hey!"

Tidus sat up, "Wha?" He looked to his left to find Naruto. "Oh, you're that kid from before…"

Naruto grinned. "Yup. And you're that guy from back eh….wherever we were." Tidus snorted and scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah that's me….hey good job back there fighting and all. It was really awesome."

Naruto flashed Tidus a smile. "Oh that thing? Nah, that was nothing. You haven't even seen half of what I can do."

Tidus snorted again. "So…how did you get here?" Naruto gave him a quizzical look. "Uh…I don't know. The same way you did, I guess."

Tidus looked at Naruto. "Wait a minute, you're saying that you entered that weird vortex thingy?" Naruto nodded. Tidus sighed. "I guess you don't know where we are then, either."

Naruto shook his head. "Honestly…I didn't even know where I was when I first saw you and that old man," he murmured.

The fire started to die down, both boys didn't notice. They also failed to notice something running along the wall of the Ruins. Naruto was in deep thought. Tidus, falling asleep, quickly wakes up and looks around. He looks at the dying fire. "Hey, wait! Wait! Don't go out on me!" This snapped Naruto out of his thought. "Just hold on, I'll get more wood," Tidus said while looking around in vain.

"Wha-what is THAT thing?" Naruto suddenly shouted, pointing to something behind Tidus.

He turns around to see the big bug on the wall. The large insect runs around the walls, and then jumps down, face to face with Tidus and Naruto. The two exchanged blows with the monster.

"Hey, can't you do that one move?" Tidus asked Naruto as he slashed at the beast with his sword.

"Are you kidding? I used up most of my chakra from that last battle!" Naruto said as he dodged the long blade like claws.

"Eh? What's….chakra?"

'You've got to be kidding me. This guy doesn't know what chakra is? I mean, even civilians know what chakra is,' Naruto thought to himself.

Partway through the battle, one of the ruins' doors blasts open. A group of people walk through, holding guns, led by a strangely-dressed girl in pink with goggles.

"EH?" Naruto eyes widened as he looked at how the girl was dressed. 'Boy, I'm REALLY happy pervy-sage isn't here,' Naruto thought.

She walks towards the two, lining up with them. She beckons the creature on. Tidus smiled. "You on our side? Cool!"

The girl takes out a grenade and throws it at the beast. Naruto looks on with shock on his face. 'What was that? An explosion tag? No. That definitely was NOT an explosion tag…' he thought.

Tidus gave one final hit and the creature dies, pyreflies floating away from it. Naruto and Tidus comes face to face with the strangely-dressed girl. She lifts her visor/goggles. Naruto's jaws dropped. So she WAS human. Tidus stares with his mouth open for a moment, before breathing a sigh of relief. "Whew! That was close."

Someone walks up behind Tidus and grabs his hair. He started to squirm. "Hey, lemme go!" Another walked up behind Naruto with a gun behind him. Naruto tensed, but he knew he needed to stay with Tidus, and even though his mind was screaming "ATTACK THIS GUY" he resisted. Several more people surround them with their guns pointed.

"Fryd ec drec?" ("What is this?") The guy holding Tidus spoke.

Naruto sweatdropped. 'The hell?" he thought.

"Y **fiend**! Eh risyh teckieca!" ("A fiend! In human disguise!") The guy behind Naruto answered.

"Oac! Ed ec cu!" ("Yes! It is so!") A different person spoke.

The guy holding TIdus pulls out a knife and holds it to Tidus's throat.

"Fa gemm ed?" ("We kill it?") he asked.

The girl decided to speak up. "Fyed!" ("Wait!") She walked up to the men. "Fryd ev ed ec risyh?" ("What if it is human?")

The person with the knife points it at the girl. "Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr." ("They are the same in death.") he said to her.

The girl spoke back,"E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic!" ("I forbid it! We bring it with us!"). She walks up to Tidus while Naruto looks on. "Cunno." ("Sorry."). She knees Tidus in the stomach. He falls unconscious.

Naruto didn't dare speak up, though his gut told him to do so. 'Man, this girl kinda reminds me of Sakura-chan. With that strength of her,' he thought. The girl turned around and walked towards Naruto. He panicked. "Eh? Wait! I'll go with just please don't hurt me!" Naruto pleaded.

The girl looked at him for a second, now that she was right in front of him. Naruto noticed that her eyes didn't have pupils but instead…spiral?

"Very well," the girl told him. "Huh? Y-y-you speak english?" Naruto asked, his jaws hanging of the hinges. "But you'll have to be blind-folded, sorry," she told him.

Naruto's eyes dropped, "Yeah, yeah." His vision went dark as a sack was thrown over his head and he was suddenly thrown over someone's shoulder. "Hey! I said you can blind fold me! Not pick me up like a sack of potatoes!" he struggled. Something sharp poked his butt.

"Hu sujehk!" ('No moving!")

"AHH! Okay! Okay! Just don't use the that jutsu!"

######

A large boat is floating on an ocean which spans as far as the eye can see. Tidus is lying unconscious on the boat's deck. He wakes up, surrounded by the people from earlier. One of them turns around and sees he woke up.

He hits Tidus. "Ced, lybdeja!" ("Sit, captive!").

Tidus falls on his butt, "Hey, that hurts!"

The man yelled at him again, his gun on Tidus, "Hu sujehk, rayn?" ("No moving, hear?").

"Whoa… Okay." Tidus shrunk back.

He look around to find Naruto a couple feet away from him looking glum. Before he could even ask, a door to the cabin opens and two peoplee walk out. They approach him. The girl from earlier, and a guy with a blonde mohawk.

"Caynlr res!" ("Search him!") the mohawk guy says. The girl from earlier reaches down and pulls Tidus up, while patting him down (no dirty thoughts ya hear!).

The guy with the mohawk begins to do alot of actions with his arms to signify swimming, all the while grunting. Naruto gave the guy a look. 'Man, this guy must be some kind of loony person or something," he thought.

"Right. Whatever," Tidus said sarcastically.

The mohawk guy looked puzzled, "Tu oui hud cbayg?" ("Do you not speak?") He shows Tidus a necklace of some sort and points to it, grunting once more.

Tidus put a hand on his hip while shaking his head, "I said I don't understand!"

"Ehcumahla!" ("Insolence!"). One of the Al Bhed points his gun at Tidus' chest. Naruto went to spring up, but another guy had his gun on him.

The girl speaks up again. "Fyed!" ("Wait!") he said you can stay if you make yourself useful."

Tidus gave a look of disbelief to the girl, "You...You understand me?" He gets hit in the back by one of the guy's guns. "All right, I'll work!" he grumbled. He walks over to the side of the boat, "What's this? Some kind of crane?"

"Rao, oui! Kad yfyo vnus drana!" ("Hey, you! Get away from there!") the mohawk guy yells at him.

Tidus puts his hands up in defense, "All right, all right! You don't have to shout!" He walks back over to the girl.

The girl began to explain, "We found some ancient ruins right beneath us. It's not active now, but there should still be some power left. We're gonna go down there and activate it...and then we should be able to…salvage the big prize!" Tidus murmured in agreement.

'Ancient ruins…in the ocean? How the hell do they think they're gonna get it?" Naruto thought to himself.

"Okay! Let's get to work!" the girl cheered.

"Rodger," Tidus said. They jump over the side of the boat, into the water.

Naruto looked on as he realized he was the only one on the deck with guys hold weapons. 'I shoulda known I wouldn't be much help," Naruto thought. He looked at the men with guns. He didn't exactly know what those weapons were. And he wasn't interested in finding out. 'I hope everyone else is okay…' he thought. He laid down, intending to take a short nap. After a while, Tidus and the girl appeared.

"Fa vuiht dra **airship**! Dra naluntc fana nekrd." ("We found the airship! The records were right.") the girl spoke to the guy with the mohawk. They entered the door. The door closed, and a little bit after, opened again and was empty. Naruto woke up from his stupor. "Wha? What's going on?" he sleepily asked.

Tidus jumps back on board, and shakes the water off of him. Some of the Al Bhed are speaking, and begin to walk to the door leading into the boat.

"Huf, ruf du tnyk ed ib?" ("Now, how to drag it up?") one of them said.

Tidus follows the people. Naruto rubs his eyes, attempting to get himself awake. One of them turns to speak to him. "Oui, uidceta!" ("You, outside!") He hits Tidus, who steps back.

Tidus began to get angry. "Hey, I helped out, didn't I?"

"That's it! I've had about enough!" Naruto shouts. He gets out a kunai and begins to charge at the two men with the guns. One of them fires, hitting Naruto in the shoulder. Naruto yells in pain. 'What…what kind of weapon IS that?' Naruto thought to himself as he tried to fight the pain. Blood began to seep through his clothes.

"Hey! No need to do that!" Tidus yells at the men while rushing over to Naruto, who glares at them. The door closes leaving Tidus and an injured Naruto by themselves.

"Don't move. Keep pressure on it," Tidus instructed him. Naruto did as he was told, and noticed the pain dulled a little bit.

"What was that thing that he hit me with?" Naruto asked TIdus.

"Huh? What thing….oh, that was a gun," Tidus explained. Naruto blinked. "A gun? WHat's a gun" Tidus nodded, his eyes closed, "Yes a gu-wait…you're asking me what a GUN is?" Tidus looked at Naruto, "You're not from around here are you?" Naruto sadly shook his head, "That's what I've been trying to tell you."

Tidus stuck out his hand. "The name's Tidus." Naruto looked at the hand before grasping it with his clean one. "Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. The next person to become Hokage!" he said while flashing a smile. Tidus chuckled.

"Well, Naruto, you're name is quite a strange one. And what's uh….a hokage?"

Naruto eyes widened. He hung his head in sadness. "I'm really not where….not even close to…."

"Hey," Tidus interrupted him while putting a hand on Naruto's good shoulder, "it'll be okay. We're both in the same boat. I have no clue where we are either. We'll get through this together."

That made Naruto feel a little better. "So then what's your story? How did you get here?"

Tidus sat back. "Well, I got _here_, on this boat, the same way you did. I was pulled into the vortex by Auron, the "old man" you referred to back in Zanarkand."

"Zana what?"

Tidus looked at him. "Zanarkand. The one city that we were in before the vortex?" Naruto looked at the ground. He clenched his fists. Tidus's eyes widened. "You don't know what Zanarkand is?"

"NO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ZANARKAND IS!" he burst, startling Tidus. "All I know, is that I was back in Konoha, getting ready to fight this big monster who appeared out of no where. And then this weird looking boy in purple shows up! And then all of a sudden I appeared in Zanarky, Zanaka, Zaner-"

"Zanarkand."

Naruto growled, "What ever it's called. And THEN I get sucked into a vortex again! And I don't even know where I am THIS time. It's all too much for me to handle!" His eyes started to water. "Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, Sai, Captain Yamato….I don't even know where my friends are, if they're even here, or if they're even alive." Tears started to run down his face.

Tidus looked at Naruto with pity. Then, his face filled with determination. "Well, Naruto Uzamaki….UzUmaki. I don't know where this….ha is. But I can tell you that the world you're in right now is Spira."

"Spira?" Naruto looked at the light blonde haired man.

Tidus nodded. "Mmhmm. And the place you saw me originally is called Zanarkand. The biggest machine city to ever have been built in Spira. Machina are basically machines." He saw the confusing look on Naruto's face. "I can't tell you were we are now, or where we were after the vortex sucked us up. But, Auron told me that the creature you saw in Zanarkand is called "Sin"."

Naruto's ears perked up at the name. "Hey, that boy said something about Sin as well before I was taken to Zanarkand."

Tidus narrowed his eyes, "What did this boy look like."

"Well," Naruto said as he put a finger to his chin, "He was dressed in a purple hood, you couldn't see his eyes, and he had a weird red ribbon that wrapped around his chest. I think he might have also had a gold bracelet or something on his back."

"Hey, that's the same boy I've seen!" Tidus said.

"Really?" Naruto said.

Tidus nodded. "Yeah, he seems to be everywhere thought. In real life, in my dreams, it's kind of freaky. He seems to disappear a lot to."

Naruto agreed. "Yeah, I tried to punch him, but my hand went right through him. It was like he was a ghost or something."

"Freaky."

A long time passed. Tidus groaned, "Uhh…hungry."

"Naruto!"

Naruto turns to the person who said his name. He saw a person with pink hair. "Sakura?" He was tackled to the ground, someone's arms wrapped around him in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're alive! I thought you were dead!" the pinkeye mumbled in his clothing.

"Sakura…"

She lets go of him and notices his wound. "How'd you get this? How many times do I have to tell you to be careful?"

Tidus sat up, observing the two. Naruto gave a sheep smile, "Well, one of those guys shot me and…"

"A gun wound?" Sakura looked at Naruto in surprise. She put her hands over the wound, and his wound glowed green. Soon enough a bullet popped out on the ground.

"Eh?" Tidus's eyes bugged out.

Sakura began to close the wound. She put her hands down once the wound closed. "There, that should take care of it."

Naruto smiled at his teammate. "Thanks Sakura….say….how did you get here anyway?" Tidus began to get tired and laid back down.

Sakura's brow furrowed as she tried to remember. "Well, after you stupidly tried to take on that monster by yourself, everyone went after you to stop you." Naruto nodded guiltily. So it had been HIS fault they were in this predicament. Sakura continued. "Then suddenly, we couldn't see anything. I don't know what happened next. Rikku said-"

"Rikku?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, the girl in the pink? That's Rikku. And by the way, those are REALLY inappropriate clothes she wearing. She told me that she and her family found me floating unconscious in the ocean. They saved me and have been taking care of me ever since."

"Hm…" Naruto hummed as he took all what Sakura said, in.

"She also told me a little bit about Sin," Sakura added, "She asked if I was suffering from Sin's toxin."

"Sin's toxin?" But before Naruto could ask more, he suddenly found the girl from before, Rikku, in front of him carrying two trays. She placed one down in front of Naruto. He looked at the tray, and realized it was food. His stomach gave a growl. Come to think of it…he hadn't eaten in a while. He looked at the food again. "Sakura, do they have any ramen?"

Sakura chuckled while gently swatting him on the head. "Naruto, not everyone can eat ramen like you. Just try it, it's really good." Rikku, satisfied that Naruto was eating, walked over to Tidus who was dozing off. She stood in front of him, and gave him a kick.

"EH!" Tidus scrambled to sit up. He looked up at Rikku who set a tray of food down.

Tidus gave a surprising look, "Whoa! Right on!" He scarfs down the food so fast that he begins to choke.

"Hey," Rikku says and tosses him a jug of water. He opens it and drinks, concluding in a relieved sigh. It's 'cause you eat too fast!" she told him. Naruto and Sakura watched the two. Tidus stood up, laughed, moved around, and stretched. The girl walks up behind him, "Hey!"

Tidus looked at her, "Hello there. What is your name?"

"Rikku."

Tidus gave a chuckled of surprise, "Whoa! You really do understand! Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Rikku put up her hands in defense. "I didn't get a chance to! Everyone thought oui were a fiend." Naruto gave Sakura a puzzling look, she only shrugged and continue to listen.

Tidus gave a confusing look and gestured to himself and Rikku, "Uh…"we"?"

"Oh, "oui" means "you"," Rikku explained.

Tidus still didn't understand, "Who are you guys, anyway?"

"We're Al Bhed. Can't you tell?" Rikku asked, a little insulted. Then something dawned on her. "Wait. You're not an Al Bhed-hater, are you?"

Tidus gave a shrug, "I don't even know what an Al Bhed is."

"Yeah, me neither," Naruto called out to her. Rikku looked at Naruto. "You must be, Naruto, Sakura's told me all about you." Naruto looked at Sakura who blushed and gave a shy smile.

Rikku turned her attention back to Tidus. "Where are you from?"

Tidus puffed out his chest proudly, "Zanarkand. I'm a blitzball player. Star player of the Zanarkand Abes!"

Rikku gave him a funny look, "Did you hit your head or something?"

Tidus looked at Naruto and Sakura, "Um, you guys hit me."

Rikku gave a guilty look, "Oh, right... Do you remember anything before that?"

So Tidus told her all about what had happened. Naruto and Sakura listening intently. At the end of his story, Rikku had a solemn look on her face. Tidus just looks at her, "Did I say something funny?"

Rikku, after a small thought, "You were near Sin." She looked at Naruto and Sakura, "As well as you two."

She saw Tidus give a sad look. "Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. They say your head gets funny when Sin is near. Maybe you just had some kind of dream?"

"You mean I'm sick?" Tidus asked.

Rikku nodded, "Because of Sin's toxin, yeah." Naruto looked at Sakura who nodded.

"You sure?" Tidus asked.

Rikku gave a certain nod, "Yeah, there is no Zanarkand anymore. Sin destroyed it a thousand years ago. So...no one plays blitzball there."

Tidus gave a look of surprise and looked at Naruto, who looked surprised as well. Tidus narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean, a thousand years ago? But I saw Sin attack Zanarkand! You're saying that happened a thousand years ago? No way!"

"He's telling the truth!" Naruto cut in, he had stood up ready to defend his new friend, "I was there as well."

"Naruto, calm down," Sakura gently told her spikey-haired friend.

Rikku put a finger to her chin, thinking. "You said..." she began, "You play blitzball?"

Tidus nodded.

Rikku walked over the railing and leaned against it, "You know, you should go to Luca. Someone might know who you are, or you might find someone you recognize." She turned to Sakura and Naruto. "You two should go as well," she told them, "Your bound to find someone there you know."

Tidus gave Rikku a look, "Luca?"

Rikku shakes her head giving a small groan. She walks around a bit, then returns to Tidus and taps him on his back. "Okay, leave it to me! I'll get you to Luca, promise!" She nodded her head to Tidus, and then to Sakura and Naruto. She looks back at Tidus who remained silent. "You'd rather stay here?" she joked.

Tidus quickly shook his head.

Rikku nodded her head, "Okay, I'll go tell the others. Wait here." She begins to leave, then turns around. "Oh, and one thing," she begins and looks at Naruto as well, "Don't tell anyone you're from Zanarkand, okay? Yevon says it's a holy place. You might upset someone."

She then disappears into the depths of the ship. Tidus leans on the railing. "My Zanarkand, some kind of holy place? Tch, yeah right, since when? Yevon? Sin? Luca? I thought SIn just took me to a faraway place, that I could go back in a day or two. But a thousand years into the future? Ha, no way!" he thought outloud, in denial.

"Hey Sakura," Naruto began, "Have you seen anyone else?" Sakura sadly shook her head. Naruto looks up at the dark sky. "Then maybe it's best that we do what Rikku says and go to Luca. Maybe some of the others were transported there instead." Sakura gives him a questionable look. Naruto turned to face her fully. "Here's my theory," he began, "Sin came into our world, another dimension, and sucked us all in this world called, Spira. My guess is that somehow, we all got separated."

Sakura sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Naruto…"

"Wait! Just…hear me out okay? I say, we try to locate everyone, find Sin, and get it to transport us back to our world."

"But what if no one else WAS transported?" Sakura gave a sad look to Naruto. He gave her a sad smile, "We'll just have to hope then, Sakura."

The two shinobi failed to see Tidus make his way towards the crane. He kicked it and it falls. Suddenly a loud rumble is heard, and the ship shakes.

Naruto and Sakura tried to balance themselves. "Woah! What's happening?" Naruto shouts.

In the distance, something blasts out of the water. The door opens; people run onto the deck and fall down. Something in the water approaches the ship.

"**Sin**!" one of the Al Bhed yells.

"**Sin** ec lusa!" ("Sin is coming!") another shouts.

"Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!" ("Under us! Under us!") shouts an Al Bhed by the railing. A loud splash was heard and water filled the deck, sweeping Naruto, Sakura, and Tidus overboard.

"Naruto!" Sakura cries. Naruto grabbed her hand. 'I won't lose her!' Naruto thought. "Hang on Sakura!"

The trio was sucked into a whirlpool, Rikku looked down on them, helpless.

**A/N:** one word….REVIEW. I think this was better than the first XD


	3. A Summoner is Born

**A/N:** I do not own Final Fantasy or Naruto.

Chapter 3

Three figures were floating face down in water, close to a shore. Tidus was the first one to wake up. He looked around and spotted Naruto and Sakura unconscious in the water, face down. He quickly turned them over so that they were floating on their backs.

"Naruto! Sakura!" He looked up and out to the sea. "Rikku" he called out to the ocean.

Suddenly, a something hit him in the back of the head. He grunted as the object hit him, and turned around to see a familiar blue and white ball. He picked the ball up, "Blitzball!" He then looked up to the shore to see several people gathered. One guy with bright orange hair was waving at him.

"Hey, you okay?" the guy called to Tidus.

Tidus waved back. "Heeey!" By this point, Sakura and Naruto were slowly coming to their senses. "Where are we now?" Naruto groaned. Sakura put a hand to her head, "Beats me."

They look over to Tidus who was holding a blue and white ball.

"Hey Naruto, Sakura. Watch this. I know you guys were wondering what blitzball was back at Rikku's ship," Tidus said.

He then went under water, hits the ball into the air with his head, and once in the air, does a double-legged bicycle kick. The ball heads straight for the guy with the orange hair, who narrowly avoids the ball hitting his head. Naruto and Sakura look at Tidus in shock.

"Woah! That was totally cool man!" Naruto said with a grin on his face.

The orange-haired guy turns to look back at Tidus. "Whoa-ho!"

Tidus, Naruto, and Sakura swam to shore and approached the group on the beach. Two people turned away from the orange-haired guy and leave. The orange-haired guy opened his mouth in surprise, wanting to say something, but nothing comes out.

Tidus sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "Yo! Hiya!"

"You wanna…try that move…one more time?" the orange-haired guy asked.

Tidus smiled. "Finally, things are starting to look up," he murmured to himself.

A blitzball is thrown into the air and the group steps back. The blitzball bounces off of Tidus' forehead; he then proceeds to bicycle kick it at an incredible speed into the water. Everyone gasped.

The guy with the orange hair turned to Tidus, "You're no amateur. Who you play for?" He had a slight accent.

"The Zanarkand Abes!" Tidus answered proudly, expecting to be known.

Everyone gasped and talks amongst each other. Naruto and Sakura exchanged worried glances.

The orange-haired guy gave Tidus a funny look, "What team you say again?"

Tidus sweat dropped, "Uh, I meant…forget that. I got….er…_we_ got too, uh...close to Sin and my head's all foggy-like. So we don't know where this place is. Or even where we came from." Tidus gestured to Naruto and Sakura respectively who nodded in response.

The orange-haired guy's face went solemn, "Sin's toxin got to you. But, you're still alive. Praise be to Yevon!" He did a little gesture. Everyone else does this gesture; right forearm over left forearm, fingers spread out, hands curved in the shape of a circle, and bow.

Wakka turned to the people who were dressed in some kind of sports uniform, "All right, back to practice!" He turned to the trio, "I'm Wakka, coach and captain of the Besaid Aurochs, brudda."

"Wakka? What kind of name is that?" Naruto whispered to Sakura who only shushed him.

"Nice to meet you uh…Wakka. I'm Tidus. And these are my friends, Naruto and Sakura," he gestured towards his friends. Both Tidus's and Naruto's stomachs growl.

Sakura glowered at Naruto who only rubbed the back of his neck with a grin on his face.

Wakka looked at the two blondes, "What? You hungry? Okay! Back to the village. I'll get you somethin'!" He began to walk through a path that led to a small forest. Naruto and Sakura were about to follow until they noticed that Tidus wasn't moving.

"It's true Zanarkand was destroyed, right? A thousand years ago? So it's just a big pile of rubble now, isn't it?" Tidus said while running to catch up with Wakka who had stopped to listen. Naruto and Sakura, who had also caught up with Wakka, were waiting and listening intently.

Wakka nodded, "Long time ago, there were a whole lot of cities in Spira. Big cities with machina-machines-to run 'em. People played all day and let the machina do the work. And then, well, take a look." He jerked his head up and the trio saw pieces of buildings and rubble in between the lush green vegetation of the island. "Sin came, and destroyed the machina cities. And Zanarkand along with 'em. Yeah, that was about a thousand years ago, just like you said. If you ask me, Sin's our punishment for letting things get out of hand. What gets me, though...is we gotta suffer, 'cause of what some goofballs did way back when! Course, we must always repent for our sins! That's important! It's just that, it's hard to keep at it sometimes, you know?"

"It's just as Rikku had said," Sakura said softly so only Tidus and Naruto could hear.

Wakka laughed, "But you from the Zanarkand Abes-that was a good one!" Tidus frowned. Wakka gave a smile, "Hey, I'm not saying that team never existed, ya? But you gotta figure a team living in luxury like that'd be pretty soft, eh?"

Naruto restrained himself from yelling at the orange-haired man. They continued to follow Wakka until they reached a small area that had two pathways: one was up, the other lead somewhere else. The trio was about to go on the upward path until they heard Wakka call to them.

"Hey! It's this way!"

Wakka ran on the other path; the trio followed him. They eventually approach Wakka, and they realized they were standing over a ledge. Below the ledge is a large body of water. Tidus looked down at the water, while Wakka stealthily moved behind him.

Tidus, confused by what was happening, "Huh?" Wakka suddenly pushes him with one arm. Tidus fell in screaming "Waaah", landing with a splash. Wakka, dove into the water after him.

Sakura gave an annoyed look, "What are they doing?"

Naruto shrugged, "I don't know, but we might as well follow them. Besides, Wakka _is_ the one who knows the way to the village."

Both shinobis let off the ledge, and ran down the side, chakra pumping to their feet.

Tidus surfaced while gasping for air, "What's the big idea?" He then follows Wakka, who was swimming away.

Sakura and Naruto reached the water, chakra still pumping to their feet preventing them from falling in. Both shinobis scanned the water, looking for the two familiar faces. Upon finding them, they quickly follow them only stop and see that piranha like fish had surrounded the Tidus and Wakka.

"That's impossible? How do they breath underwater?" Sakura asked, "No….they're only holding their breath for a very very long time….that was a stupid theory Sakura…."

"It doesn't matter, let's help them," Naruto said as he got out a couple of shurikens while Sakura pulled out some mini kunais. Locking on their targets, Naruto and Sakura launched their weapons into the water, two piranhas bursting into pyreflies as they were defeated.

"You know ever since we've been transported to Spira, I've always wondered what those floaty thingys were," Naruto said. Sakura nodded in agreement. The two continued to help Tidus and Wakka, who were fighting underwater, until all the fish were defeated.

They moved on until they reached a cave like location. Naruto and Sakura immediately went to the path that was by the cave. Wakka went up behind Tidus and gets him in a headlock.

"Lemme go!" Tidus struggled against the captain.

"Got a favor to ask ya."

"You want me on your team, right?"

Naruto and Sakura watched the two. Naruto had a comical glower on his face. "What are those two doing now?"

"A major blitz tournament's coming up. All the teams in Spira'll be there! It's so huge, I'm sure someone there will recognize you! Then you can go back to your old team, right? It'll be fun! What do you say, huh? Come on, come on!" Wakka explained.

Tidus had a solemn look on his face as he kicked his feet, swimming on his back. "Sure thing," he said while swimming to where Naruto and Sakura were.

Wakka grinned and follows him, "Dude! Our team is gonna rock, eh?"

######

The gang walked to the edge of a cliff with Wakka. Below the cliff, in the distance, is a the village, Besaid.

"This is where I was born. I started blitz when I was five," Wakka explained as they slowly made their way down, "I joined the Aurochs at thirteen...ten years ago. Ten years...and we never won a game." Wakka stopped walking, "Well, after last year's tournament, I quit. Time seemed right. So, after quitting, I got this new job, ya? But every time my mind wandered, I thought about the game."

Tidus put a hand on his hip, "Ten years without a single win'll do that."

Naruto cut in, "But despite all those losses, you still kept at it. Why are you quitting now?" Sakura once again, put her hand on his should to calm him down. It would be troubling to have the nine-tailed fox demon to take over in a land where they didn't even know existed.

Wakka continued, "My first match last year was my big chance. But something else was on my mind. I couldn't focus."

Tidus snorted, "Nice excuse." Wakka just put his hands up in defense. "So you want to win the next tournament-go out with a bang," Tidus said with understanding, "So, what's our goal?"

Wakka shrugged, "I don't care how we do. Long as we play our best. If we give it our all, I can walk away happy."

"And when it comes down to it, that's all you can really do, right?" Sakura said as she gave Wakka, who nodded, a gentle smile. "That's right," Naruto agreed, "As long as you do your best, that's all anyone can really ask for."

Tidus gave them a weird look. He shook his head quickly, "No, no, no, no, no. If I say, "What's our goal?" you say, "Victory!" When you play in a blitzball tournament, you play to win!"

Wakka eyes widened at Tidus, "Victory? You serious?"

Naruto eyes lit up, "Oh yeah. Of course. You walk in with a mediocre attitude, then of course you won't do your best. Even though winning may not be your main focus, it should be. You only say to do your best, because it makes losing not as harsh. But in order to do your best, you need to go in wanting to win! Believe it!"

Wakka looked over at Tidus, who nods. They make their way to Besaid village, along the way, the encounter two people; the two who walked away from Wakka when the trio and Wakka first met.

"Ah, the onse from the sea!" the one with fire red hair said. He turned to Wakka, "Be on guard. There're fiends on the road today! After surviving your run-in with Sin, 'twould be a shame if something happened now." The two people entered the village.

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other. Fiends? Is that what those monsters they've been fighting called?

"Luzzu, the one with the red hair, and Gatta, the other one-Crusaders."

"Woah! That's a cool name, right Sakura? We should ask if Granny Tsunade can let us be called that," Naruto ginned at Sakura who punched him. "Don't be an idiot Naruto!"

Tidus's brow furrowed, "Crews of what?"

Wakka turned around to face Tidus, his face in disbelief, "What, you forgot that too?" Tidus hung his head, with a sad Sakura and Naruto looking on. "Hey, sorry. Don't worry about it, I'll help you out," Wakka quickly added.

Tidus nodded, "Cool. In return, come tournament time, I'll make sure we take the cup!"

Wakka ginned, "Cool. About the Crusaders, you can ask them yourself. They've got a lodge in the village." They entered the village.

######

"Besaid Village," Wakka announced proudly. Naruto and Sakura observed the village in wonder. There were weird tent-like houses that looked like an oversized bubble. Palm-trees that swayed within the wind. Sakura stretched as a slight breeze went past, "Mm, this feels so nice." Naruto nodded in agreement, a small smile on his face.

"If only Kakashi and the others were here to enjoy it as well…"

"They got any food there?" Tidus asked Wakka who pointed to one of the huts. "We'll get you something over there later. Take a look around first. Let's see…the Crusaders lodge is over yonder. Luzzu and Gatta are usually there."

Tidus nodded absentmindedly.

"Over here!" Wakka softly called to Tidus who looked up and saw that Naruto and Sakura were with them.

Tidus walked over to them, "Huh? What's up?"

"You do remember the prayer, right?" Wakka asked in a hushed tone. Naruto and Sakura looked at each other, probably for the umpteenth time, before looking back at Wakka and shook their heads vigorously.

_'When in doubt, play dumb,' _ Sakura thought.

Tidus shook his head as well. Wakka groaned and tilted his head back, "Man, that's like the basics of the basics. Alright, I'll show you." He does the prayer; the hand gestures that him and his Aurochs did to the trio on the beach when they first met. "Go ahead, you try," he encouraged when he was done.

First Sakura does it, which was awkward but graceful. Next was Naruto, which was awkward and partially wrong. Next was Tidus. Wakka nodded his head gently as if he was a teacher, "Hey, not bad. Okay, now go present yourself to the temple summoner." He pointed to the temple that was straight up the path, it also happened to be the biggest building there. Wakka walked towards and entered one of the huts.

Tidus sighed. _"_Any blitzball player would know that prayer. It was the blitzball sign for victory_." _Naruto looked after Tidus as he made his way towards the temple.

"You know, for a person who knows the world he's in….he sure is clueless," Naruto commented earning him a light smack on the head, "Ouch! Sakura, do you always have the need to hit me on the head?"

Sakura folded her arms, "Give the man a break Naruto. I mean, both of you claim to come from this city called "Zanarkand," and it also happens to be a place in this time…as ruins. Can you blame him?" Naruto's eyes softened.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

######

The trio slowly entered the temple. It was dark, and gave off a sacred feel. There were two brightly lit torches. Statues of people were seen. Tidus approached a statue of a man, clad in a robe and holding a staff. A priest approaches Tidus.

"Ten years have passed since Lord Braska became high summoner," the priest explained as Sakura and Naruto walked over to Tidus, observing the statue as well, "And finally we received a statue for our temple."

Tidus looked at the priest, "What's a…high summoner?"

Everyone in the temple gave him an incredulous look and gasped.

"He…we, got too close to Sin's, uh, toxin." Naruto quickly covered for him.

The priest gave a look of surprise before doing the prayer. "The summoners are practitioners of a sacred art, sworn to protect the people of Yevon," he explained, "Only a chosen few become summoners, who call forth entities of great power: the aeons. The aeons hear our prayers and come down to us. They are the blessing of Yevon."

"So do these summoners, use some sort of summoning jutsu?" Sakura innocently asked. The priest gave her a look.

"I do not think I quiet understand what you mean, miss."

"A summoning jutsu," Naruto pressed, "Like, with scrolls, you need a drop of blood in order to summon these things?"

The priest looked horrified. "N-no. Absolutely not. No blood is shed. I have no idea what you…children are talking about. But I can assure you that Yevon would probably disapprove of it."

Naruto and Sakura had a silent conversation with each other. Yup…they definitely were NOT in a world where shinobis exist. They're in a COMPLETELY different world.

The trio did the prayer, thanked the priest, and exited the temple.

######

They entered the hut where Wakka went in. He was sitting on the ground, a pot was burning on a stove int he middle of the room. There was a cot and a couch, and other things. The hut had only one room.

Wakka looked at the trio standing in the doorway, "Sorry, man. No time for lunch yet. Take a nap! You guys look bushed."

Tidus, deciding that a nap would do him some good, walks over to the cot and falls sleep. Sakura takes a seat the couch while Naruto sits on the floor. The man from the temple who spoke to trio enters the hut. Wakka stands up.

"You could at least go see how they are doing," the priest explained. Naruto and Sakura's ears perked up at the conversation. See how who's doing? What was going on?

Wakka shook his head, "We can't interfere. It's a rule."

The priest walks out of the hut, with Wakka on his heels, "But, it's been nearly…" Naruto and Sakura watched as the two men left the hut. "Hey, Sakura," Naruto began as he looked over at his pink-haired teammate, "Who do you think they're talking about?" Sakura shrugged, "I dunno. The summoners maybe?"

Silence filled the air.

"Do you think….do you think we'll ever get out of here and return home?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know Naruto. But…but I hope we can," Sakura answered as tears filled her eyes. Naruto moved to the couch in an attempt to comfort his teammate. He gently put an arm around her and she sobbed softly in his shoulder.

"Naruto? Sakura!" a voice called out.

"Huh?" Naruto squinted his eyes at the entrance to the hut. Both he and Sakura stood up and walked towards the entrance.

"BUSHY BROW?"

######

Naruto and Sakura's jaws hit the floor as they realized who they were looking at. The green jump suit, the orange leggings, the bowl cut haircut. The stern, pale lavender eyes, and the long hair. The two buns and bright chocolate brown eyes. It was definitely Team Gai…without Gai.

"Lee! Neji! Tenten!" Sakura cried as she gave Lee a hug, who blushed at the contact.

"How'd you guys wind up here?" Naruto asked.

Neji gave a small smile. "Well, after you decided to be brash, like always, we all tried to go after you. Then we all saw a bright light flash and suddenly we found ourselves at Besaid's shore."

"And started wandering around trying to figure out where we were, until we were ambushed by monsters," Tenten cut in, "It wasn't until Wakka found us and helped us out. He took us in, and ever since we got here, we've been residing in Besaid planning our next move."

"So you guys know what those monsters are?" Sakura asked, "I heard Luzzu and Gatta calling them….fiends."

"You are correct, Sakura," Lee said, "Wakka tried to explain it to us once, but I am still trying to wrap my head around the concept." He closed his eyes in deep thought. "Wakka had said…that fiends were the spirits of people, who are not sent by the summoner to go to the far plane."

Sakura gave Lee a questioning look while Naruto just looked at him. "Eh?" was all he could manage.

"In other words," Neji began, "If people don't have a proper burial, their spirits manifest into these horrible beasts." He crossed his arms. "Summoners are the only people who can send the spirits of the dead to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace."

"Speaking of summoners, do you understand who…or what they are?" Naruto asked Neji.

Neji closed his eyes and nodded. "I believe that these summoners, are the only people who are capable of defeating Sin, that monstrous creature we saw back at the Leaf Village." Naruto and Sakura nodded as they listened. Neji opened his eyes. "The summoner has to go to each temple of….Yevon they call it. Yevon is a type of belief, a religion you might say. By going to each temple, they pray to what's known as the Fayth."

"The Fayth?" Sakura asked.

Neji nodded. "The Fayth…..the spirits who possess the creatures known as aeons, which the summoners can summon."

"Wow, Neji. You seem to understand this more than I do," Naruto said while scratching his head. Neji smirked, "Well, I don't fully understand it either. But hopefully things will be clear up soon once we leave this island."

Naruto looked at Neji. "And how do you intend to leave the island?"

"By boat of course," Lee jumped in, "Wakka had said that as soon as the summoner he is protecting comes out of the temple, they'll be making their way towards each temple." Naruto glowered, "You're not seriously thinking of joining them are you?"

"No," Tenten answered, "But Wakka mentioned that he could get us to a place called Luca. He said that we might find someone we recognize there."

"Funny," Naruto began, "A girl named Rikku told me that as well. She was going to take Sakura, Tidus, and me there as well until…"

"Until?" Lee pressed.

Naruto looked at Team Gai. "Until we were attacked…by Sin again."

Silence filled the air.

"Naruto, if I may ask, who is this Tidus you speak of?" Lee asked. Naruto perked up. "Oh, he's the blonde haired guy who was lying on the cot in Wakka's hut. He was also transported by Sin. Except…he was still in this world?" He looked quiet puzzled himself.

"I'm afraid I do not understand," Lee said as he slumped his shoulders.

"Let me explain this one Naruto," Sakura said to her blonde teammate. "Lee, Naruto was transported to a place called Zanarkand."

"Zanarkand?"

Neji shook his head, "That's impossible. Wakka told us that Zanarkand, the place where a summoner receives the Final Aeon, was destroyed 1000 years ago. You mean to tell me that Naruto was transported not just to a different place, but to a different time as well?"

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know, Neji. You're guess is as good as mine." She started looking around the place. "You guys haven't seen anyone else have you? On this island I mean."

Tenten shook her head. "Nope. We thought we were the only ones in this world, until we ran into you." She smiled. "Maybe…maybe everyone was transported here, but just in different spots. You know?"

Neji rubbed his chin. "Hmm…as ridiculous and far-fetched as that sounds Tenten, I think you're right. I mean, seeing Naruto and Sakura here is just proof of it."

Lee just looked at Neji, then Tenten, who shrugged. "We won't know unless we try," she told her teammate.

"Say," Naruto said as he looked around, "A guy from the temple came in to tell Wakka that something happened to a person in the temple. Said it was three days or something."

"Yes. It's been three days since the new summoner went in the temple to pray," Neji explained, "That summoner is the summoner that Wakka plans on protecting."

"Guess we better go check it out then, huh?" Naruto grinned and started marching his way towards the templed, Lee joining him. Neji shook his head while Tenten laughed. Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose before following.

######

After a long slumber, Tidus began to wake up. He noticed that he was the only one in the hut. He looked around. "Wakka?" He then saw a note attached to the entrance of the hut.

_We found some of our friends. Meet us at the temple when you get this note._

_Naruto and Sakura_

Tidus exited the hut and made his way to the temple. Wakka and the priest from earlier are there. He also spotted Naruto and Sakura who were accompanied by three other people he did not recognize.

Tidus looked at Wakka, "Is something wrong?"

Wakka had his arms crossed, and looked solemn, "The summoner hasn't returned from the trial."

Tidus tiled his head. While Team Gai exchanged worried glances. Although they still were trying to understand all Wakka had told them about summoners, they knew that it was serious.

"Well, apprentice summoner, really..." Wakka looked down.

"You said that the summoner hadn't returned from a…trial?" Sakura asked.

Wakka nodded, "There's a room in there called the Cloister of Trials. Beyond is where the apprentice summoner prays."

"The Chamber of Fayth," Neji explained to Sakura and Naruto, who nodded.

"If the prayer is heard, the apprentice becomes a fully-fledged summoner, remember?" Wakka finished.

After a moment of thinking, Tidus put a hand to his chin, "So someone is in there somewhere and they haven't come back out. Right, I got it."

"A day's already gone by," Wakka said as he uncrossed his arms, looking worried.

The shinobi just looked at each other. One day? Surely they must be over exaggerating. Some of the missions assigned to them by Tsunade take weeks, months, even up to a year depending on how serious the mission is. Sakura looked at Wakka. "Is it particularly dangerous in there?" she asked.

Wakka nodded absentmindedly, "Sometimes, yes."

"Why don't you go in and help?" Tidus asked.

"There's already guardians in there. Besides, it's forbidden," Wakka answered, stressing on the "forbidden" part.

Tidus, having enough, walks up the stairs that let to the Cloister of Trials. "Hey, but what if somethin' happens? What if the summoner dies!"

"The precepts must be obeyed!" The priest sternly said.

Tidus brushed him off. "Like I care!" he said, and ran through the doors. The people in the temple gasped at the violation. Wakka gapped. Maybe taking the boy into his care wasn't such a good idea after all. Torn between going after him and staying put, he scratched the back of his head guiltily.

Neji looked at Naruto, and knew immediately what he was thinking. "Don't," he told Naruto, "Forbidden or not, it is not our problem to deal with." Naruto pushed him away and walked straight up to the priest and Wakka. "You're not going to do anything?" he asked Wakka.

"It's against the rules. Only summoners and their guardians may enter, and I'm not a guardian yet. Not until after the tournament," Wakka tried to explain. It seemed like he said that more to assure himself.

"So that's you're reason, huh? You're not a guardian yet, however you're going to allow the possibility of something happening to the person you're supposed to protect?" Naruto ground out.

"It's in the teachings, the rules…" the priest told Naruto.

Lee tried to reason with the spiky blonde haired shinobi, "Naruto, perhaps it's best if…"

"Always about the rules isn't it. You break the rules, everyone looks down upon you. Doesn't matter if someone's life is threatened, just as long as the rules aren't broken. You guys make me sick." Naruto clenched his fist and looked down at the ground. Sakura looked sadly at Naruto, knowing exactly where he was going with this. Wakka was taken aback by the sudden change of attitude. The priest looked insulted.

"One thing that I will always remember. Something that my sensei had taught me. It was my very first lesson as a shinobi…a ninja," Naruto said quietly. "Those who break the rules and regulations are considered scum. But," his voice growing, "those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum!" He looked at Wakka to look at Wakka dead in the eye.

"In your shoes…if I was going to be considered scum either way, I'd rather break the rules."

Wakka casted his gaze down to the ground. The kid had a point. And this wasn't just some random summoner he was protecting. She was basically his sister for Yevon's sake! And that Tidus kid won't even know his way through the trials anyway. Might as well right?

"You're right," Wakka said to Naruto. The priest looked at Wakka with disbelief.

"And another thing-eh huh?" Naruto stopped in mid rant.

Wakka smiled and nodded his head. "I said you're right. I won't be able to live with myself if anything were to happen to the summoner." He started walking up the steps, stopping midway. "And besides, Tidus doesn't know his way around the Cloister of trials," he grinned. He continued up the staircase and stopped at the door.

"You coming?" he called to them.

Naruto smirked. He turned to Neji. "I don't care if it's our business or not. We're not on a mission right now, and as shinobi, it is our duty to protect the people, whether it's back at home, or here." Naruto went up the staircase to Wakka, Sakura hot on his heels.

"Yosh! The power of Youth still lives on!" Lee cried as he too went up the steps.

Neji sighed and crossed his arms. "You know Neji," Tenten began and her teammate looked at her, "It's not like we're going home anytime soon. And Wakka _is_ our ticket off this island. Maybe we _should_ help."

Neji sighed again, this time pinching the bridge of his nose. She was right. _She_ knew she was right. And if they had any chance of returning back to where they came from, they were going to have to help. "Alright," he said, giving in. Tenten smiled, before the two followed the rest of the gang up the stairs, and through the doors.

######

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," Tidus mumbled to himself as he looked at the room he was in. It was a puzzle….a big, frustrating, puzzle. And it involved touching walls with glyphs, and placing spheres into places to either open doors or make them disappear. And then there was the destruction sphere….

BOOM!

He had just put the sphere on a wall, making it explode and revealing a hidden room with a treasure chest. He went over and opened it finding an item.

"Guess I'll have to keep those spheres in mind," Tidus said to himself.

Finding nothing else to do, he walked over to a big circle like design that was on the ground. It looked like some sort of elevator. He heard someone calling to him.

"Hey! What's gotten into you?"

He looked up to find Wakka, Naruto, Sakura, and the other three people he didn't know. They walked towards hi, and onto the circle as well. Tidus remained silent.

"Hey, it's okay, " Wakka reassured him, "Only summoners, apprentice summoners, and their guardians can enter here. It's a tradition. Very important."

Naruto snorted at the tradition comment, earning a slap on the head from Sakura and Tenten.

"So what about you?" Tidus asked Wakka.

Wakka looked at him, "Me? I'm a guardian."

"A guardian?"

The circle they all were standing on turned out to be a platform. It stuttered, shocking Naruto and company, before slowly moving downward.

"Summoners go on a pilgrimage to pray at every temple in Spira," Wakka began to explain, "Guardians protect them. The guardians in there now...One of them's got a short fuse, and who knows what the other's thinking. Well, now that we've come this far...might as well go all the way!"

They walked into a room. There were two other people there: one, a woman dressed in black; the other, a tall blue beast. The woman is the only one of the two who spoke up.

"What are you doing here? Didn't think we'd be able to handle it?"

Wakka quickly shook his head, putting his hands up in defense, "No, it's uh...it's just..." He turned to Tidus, "See, I told you she gets mad easy."

"Is the summoner all right?" Tidus asked the woman.

The woman gasped, obviously insulted that he spoke to her. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Who are you?"

Tidus, Wakka, Naruto and company, the girl and the beast were standing in front of a large doorway. Suddenly, it opens up, and the apprentice summoner wanders out. It was insanely humid in the room. She sluggishly made her way to the stairs, taking one step before passing out. Everyone gasped as she started to fall. The beast races forward and catches her, while growling. She slowly stood up, beads of sweat made their way down her face as she flipped her hair away from her face. Her eyes opened revealing one emerald green eye, and one sea-blue eye.

The leaf shinobi gasped at the sigh.

"I've done it," she smiled, "I have become a summoner!"

######

Everyone was making their way out of the temple. Naruto was grinning like a maniac, his hands behind his head as they made their way towards a large crow of people.

"Hehe, man am I surprised," he laughed, "And here I was thinking summoners were all old geezers!"

"The power of Youth knows no boundaries!" Lee piped up.

Tenten sighed, "Idiots."

Tidus was walking behind them.

"Hey, over here!"

They all look over at Wakka, who was beckoning them to come over. The shinobis sprint, so that they could get a better look. When Tidus got closer, he took a hold of Tidus and dragged him towards a circle that the summoner and her female guardian were standing in.

"Wait till you see this!" Wakka said excitingly.

Tidus struggled against the captain's grip. "I can't see anything!" he said dryly.

Wakka realized Tidus and looked over at the young summoner. "Ready!"

"Okay," the young summoner gave a nod of her head before walked to the center.

She raises her staff high, and brought it down to her level. She takes a step out, arms out and wide. Lights surrounded her, a huge circle glued beneath her, moving clockwise. Four bright glowing orbs spiraled up high in the sky coming together before dissipating and a rainbow circle appeared. Within the circle came a meteor like object, which then spread its wings; a large multi-coloured bird-like creature. It flew towards the summoner until it was above her. Gently flapping its wings, it slowly descended down to the ground. Hesitantly, the summoner reached out her hand and stroked the bird's head. It cooed and stretched more of its neck out for her. Everyone is awed and pleased. The group watched as Wakka, the girl, and the beast circled the summoner, congratulating her.

The shinobis looked in awe.

"That…definitely wasn't a summing jutsu," Naruto said.

"All she did was stand there," Tenten said with a look of disbelief.

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

Lee and Neji just looked at the summoner, questions wheeling in their mind as well.

######

_Later on that night….._

"Let me introduce you to the team," Wakka said to Tidus as he lead them to the Besaid Aurochs. He looked at his team, "This guy here wants into the tournament so bad, I let him on the team. His memory's a little fuzzy, so don't mind him if he says anything odd!." He mummers to Tidus, "Come on, say hi."

Tidus sheepishly scratches his head. An awkward silence filled the air. "Uh... Hi, guys," he finally spoke. The team mumbled their "hellos." "So, what's our goal?" Tidus asked.

The team posed, "To do our best!"

Wakka shook his head, "Nope, we got a new goal now! Our new goal...is victory! To win every match, defeat every opposing team! To bring the Crystal Cup back to our island! That's all we need to do to win! Easy, ya?"

"Victory..." the team murmured, as if the word word was foreign.

Soon, they began to chant the word, growing louder each time. They began clapping their hands. "Victory! Victory! Victory!" it was like a pep rally.

"YOSH! Their passion for victory gives off the power of Youth! Oh Gai-sensei, if only you were here to see how passionate these men are!" Lee cried as fire burned in his eyes.

The other shinobi sweat dropped.

Tidus looked over at the Summoner. He walks over to her, but was stopped by three people; an old man, and old woman, and a kid, each having pleasant things to say.

"You heathen!" cried the old man said.

"Stay away from the summoner!" warned the old woman.

"You're a bad man!" the kid told Tidus.

Tidus goes back to where he originally was, looking at the summoner from afar. He really wanted to talk to her. The summoner stood up, planning on talking to Tidus and the others.

"Lady Yuna! Be careful!" the old man told her.

The summoner gave the old man a small smile, "But it was really my fault to begin with."

She walked over to Tidus, who was joined by the Naruto, Sakura, and Team Gai.

"I'm Yuna," she introduced, and bowed, "Thank you so much for your help earlier."

Tidus gave a sheep smile, "I'm sorry about that. Wasn't that... Wasn't I not supposed to... Guess I...kind of overreacted."

Yuna quickly shook her head. "Oh, no. I was…overconfident," she assured him.

"I'm Naruto," the spiky blonde haired ninja said, "And this is Sakura, my teammate. And my friends Lee, Neji, and Tenten."

Yuna gave a small bow/ "Please to meet all of you."

"Um, I saw that aeon thing. That's amazing!" Tidus told her.

Yuna's face lit up. "Really?" She was about to reach for his hand, but stopped herself. "Do you think I can become high summoner?" she said, hope filling her eyes.

Tidus nodded.

"Hey, I can summon something to!" Naruto declared as he bit his thumb. He put his hand on the ground, seals appearing.

"Summoning jutsu!"

A poof of smoke covered Naruto. When it cleared, a small but larger than your average toad appeared. It was orange, and had purple markings around its eyes and lips.

Yuna let out a small gasp. "Are you a summoner as well?" she asked with interest. She gave a small cry as the toad began to speak.

"Hey Naruto!" the toad looked around, "did you need me for something?"

Naruto grinned and shook his head. "Nope, sorry. I'm no summoner, but I do know how to summon animals, toads mostly. This is Gamakichi, one of my summoning animals."

Yuna, who quickly overcame her shock, gave a smile to the toad, "Well, it's nice to meet you Gamakichi."

Gamakichi eyed Yuna up and down. He whistled. "Boy, I'm glad Jiraya's not here. Say Naruto, is it me, or does the place we're in not look familiar? This doesn't look like Konohagakure to me."

Yuna gave a confused look. "..?" she tried to decipher. Gamakichi decided to poof away, feeling uncomfortable with the new place. But before Yuna could ask anymore the kid from before ran up to her.

"Lady Yuna, come play with me some more!" he said excitedly.

Yuna knelt down to the kids level and gave a gentle nod of her head. The kid ran off and Yuna stood up. She looked at the group. "So, tomorrow, then," she told them.

"Tomorrow?" Tidus asked, confused.

"We're going on the same boat, aren't we?" she asked.

"Oh, really?"

Yuna nodded. "We can talk more," she began to walk away before stopping and looked over her shoulder, "You can tell me all about Zanarkand…and whatever this Konohagakure is."

She walked away. Wakka walked up to Tidus and elbowed him jokingly. "She's cute, ya?" he asked Tidus.

"Hell ya she's cute! Believe it!" Naruto said.

"I would agree with Naruto, however, my heart already belongs to another," Lee said as he looked at Sakura, who blushed.

Wakka looked at Naruto and Tidus, "Don't get no ideas."

Tidus snorted. "No promises there, big guy. Hey, but what if she, like, comes on to me?"

Wakka shook his head. "That's not going to happen," he said. He then fully faced Tidus, "If you get tired, let me know. I had a bed made for you."

Tidus and the shinobis headed to where Wakka had pointed.

"Sleep tight," he called out to them.

######

Tidus was fast asleep, his face could crumple once in a while.

"I wonder if he's having a nightmare," Sakura said quietly as she observed him. No one answered her.

"So we leave tomorrow," Naruto stated. Neji nodded his head. "Where are we headed then. To Luca?" Naruto asked.

"I believe we head to Kilika first," Neji began, "As that is where the next temple that Lady Yuna will pray at."

"_Lady_ Yuna?" Naruto echoed, "What's with the title?"

"Naruto if you haven't realized, summoners hold a high title here," Tenten said.

"And besides," Neji added, "According to Wakka, Lady Yuna is the daughter of High Summoner Braska….the statue you saw in the temple remember?"

Naruto's eyes widened, "Ohhhhhh…..and?"

Sakura slapped him on the head, "Naruto you idiot. It means that Lady Yuna has big expectations from people. And seeing how she summoned that aeon, not even a dumb person can see what her potential is….unless that dumb person is you."

"Hey!"

"I hate you!" Tidus shouted as he suddenly woke up from his nightmare.

The shinobis looked at him, puzzled. Tidus avoided their gaze, not knowing what to say, or how to explain himself. Suddenly, they all heard hushed voices talking outside. They all huddled towards the flap, Tidus gently opening it just a bit.

######

"He's dead, okay? Dead!" a soft but stern feminine voice said.

It was the girl dressed in the black dress talking to Wakka.

"He does look a lot like Chappu. I was surprised, too, the first time I saw him," she said, "But no matter what he looks like, he isn't Chappu!"

"Who do you think they're talking about?" Naruto whispered, only to have everyone shush him.

The girl took a breath, obviously frustrated at what Wakka had done. "You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place! All of them!"

Wakka, who looked like a kid being chastised by his mother, looked down at the ground. "Yeah, but…they needed our help!"

The girl took a step closer to Wakka, a glare evident in her eyes. "Excuses again?"

"Yeah, but..."

The girl was fed up, "That's it. No more. Enough, Wakka!"

The girl walked away, the metal parts on her skit made of belts chiming. Wakka sighed, shaking his head as he returned to the tent Tidus and the rest were in.

"He's coming back!" Tenten furiously whispered.

Everyone but Naruto and Tidus quickly climbed in their beds and pretended to be asleep. Wakka entered the tent.

Tidus walked up to Wakka. "So, who's Chappu?" he asked. Naruto was with him.

"My little brother, Chappu. He looked like you," his eyes closed painfully.

"He's dead?" Tidus asked.

"He was with the Crusaders when they fought Sin last year. He didn't make it," Wakka explained, "I first heard on the day of the tournament."

Realization dawned on Tidus. "Oh, so that's why."

Wakka's face hardened. "I became a guardian to fight Sin, ya?"

Tidus put a hand on his hip, "Revenge, then?"

Wakka calmed down. "That was the idea," he started, "I'm more worried about a stupid game now than avenging my brother. Well, after the next tournament, I'll be a guardian full-time. I know it kinda looks like I'm using you, but I'm not."

Naruto's eyes became nostalgic. Revenge. The word he learned to hate after he lost his teammate to it. He wanted to say something to Wakka about revenge, but he knew it wasn't his place. He decided to keep quiet.

"Don't worry. I mean, I owe you a lot. You really helped me out, you know?" Tidus said, "What I mean is... thanks, Wakka." He offered a hand to Wakka who was a about to take it, but then just waved his hand giving off a small laugh.

"Hehe, Stop, you're embarrassing me!"

######

_The next morning…._

Everyone was up and ready to move out. The girl Wakka had talked to, turned out to be a black mage named Lulu. Sakura and Tenten had decided that Lulu was probably the coolest woman ever, while Naruto was weary of her. Lee and Neji could care less, but both acknowledge the fact that she was a respectable and intelligent woman. But neither of them knew who the beast was. They hoped not a fiend.

Everyone was there, even the beast-like person. Everyone, but the summoner herself.

"Hey! Sleepyhead!" Wakka aid as Tidus walked passed him, "Something I want to give you."

Wakka handed Tidus a sword that was crystal blue.

"What kind of weapon is that?" Tenten said as she eyed the sword with interest.

Tidus's eyes widened. "Whoa! You're giving this...to me?" he said excitedly.

"Yeah, use it well."

Tidus took the sword, testing it out. He swung it, only to noticed Lulu was standing right next to him.

"That's the sword you gave Chappu," she said.

Wakka slumped his shoulders, then shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, "Well, he never used it." He looked at Lulu, "Where's Yuna?"

"We're taking the same boat as Yuna, right? Why do we gotta wait here?" Tidus asked.

"Yuna came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started," Wakka began to explain.

By then, Naruto, Sakura, Lee, Neji, and Tenten were next to them, interested in the topic as well.

"The Calm?"

Wakka continued, "Since then, she's been like a little sister to me and Lulu. But she had the talent... she became an apprentice. Now, today, she leaves as a summoner."

A wave of understanding flooded the shinobis.

"This is our journey... We should leave together," Lulu finished for him.

They all turned towards the entrance of the temple. Yuna was leaving the temple, with a large suitcase she was trying to push town the stairs.

"You really don't need all that luggage," Lulu called out to her.

"They're not really my things. They're gifts for the temples we're to visit," Yuna called back.

"This isn't a vacation, Yuna," Wakka said softly, but loud enough for Yuna to hear.

Yuna had a defeated look on her face, "I guess...I guess you're right."

She leaves the luggage behind and approaches the trio.

"Okay! Off we go!" Wakka said as they began to make their way to the harbor.

######

The group traveled along a path until suddenly they were ambushed by a dog looking fiend.

"What is that?" Naruto asked.

"That, my friend, is a fiend. A dingo to be specific," Wakka explained. He looked at Tidus. "Why don't you try out that sword I gave you?"

Tidus slashed at the fiend, which dies immediately, and dissolves into pyreflies.

"No problem," Tidus said.

Then, a weird bird like beast with an oversize beak came in view.

"A condor! A flyer…my kind of customer," Wakka said as he hurled his blitzball at the bird, killing it instantly as well.

Soon, 5 dingos and 2 condors appeared.

"Hmph," Wakka said, "We're outnumbered."

"Oh no you're not," Naruto said.

Wakka looked over to see Naruto, Sakura, Tenten, Neji, and Lee ready to fight.

Tenten pulled out a couple scrolls and unraveled it towards one of the condors. As the scrolls opened, a bunch of kunais came flying out, and to the condor. It was a direct hit. But the fiend didn't go down. Tenten growled. "Not enough for you?" She said as she took out more scrolls, "Let's see you handle THIS!" This time, kunais with tags on them attached themselves to the fiend. Tenten dropped the scrolls and did a hand signal. Immediately, the tags exploded and the condor burst into pyreflies.

"Woah! Nice!" Wakka exclaimed. Lulu and Yuna just looked on, interested with these people who knew not of Spira's history, world, and culture.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee stuck the other condor to the ground. It wasn't dead yet, and with a couple of punches and kicks, the fiend dissipated into pyreflies.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A bunch of Naruto clones appeared. Ganging up on of the dingos, it attacked a shadow clone, only to be surprised when it poofed away. While more shadow clones attacked the dingo, the real Naruto and one of his clones were making a rasengan.

"Just watch this," Tidus said excitedly, knowing what was going to happen.

The dingo struggle against the clones. When they suddenly disappeared, it saw the real Naruto coming straight at him with a glowing blue orb in his hands.

"RASENGAN!"

The dingo was blown away, leaving a trail of pyreflies. Yuna and Lulu gasped. Wakka's jaw dropped.

"Naruto, don't you think that was a waste of chakra?" Sakura called out to him. He only shrugged, which irrupted his pink hairs teammate.

Neji got into a fighting stance as another dingo stalked up to him.

"Byakugan!"

Yuna gasped at Neji's face, which now bore visible veins on his temples.

_'What's this?_' Neji thought_, 'It looks like chakra, but I know it's not….hm….maybe it works the same.'_

While he was battling the dingo, another came up behind him, preparing for a surprise attack. But Neji knew better. "Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!" Neji was suddenly engulfed in a blue light that was in shape of a semi-sphere. Both fiends were thrown back, bursting into pyreflies.

Two dingos were advancing on Sakura, who seemed very calm for a person who's about to be attacked by two fiends. She clenched her fists. Raising on fist up, she brought it down on the ground, the impact shaking the whole ground the group was on. A crack in the ground went from Sakura, towards the two dingos before they were crushed into the ground, and burst into pyreflies.

"Such strength!" Yuna breathed.

The battle was over, for now. The summoner and her guardians were still awed by what the "kids" had just displayed. They were getting close to the shore when something blue, like gel, dropped down in front of them.

"That, looks like trouble," Wakka said warily.

Tidus snorted. "That? Heh, watch this!" Tidus slashed at the fiend, but it didn't even seemed fazed by it. "Huh?"

"Told you," Wakka said, "Only magic can defeat that thing. If you can't beat's down, you gotta use magic of an element they don't like!"

"Magic?" Tidus asked.

"Element?" The shinobi echoed.

Wakka smirked. "Let's have our black mage show you what I mean. Lu, you're up!"

Lulu walked up to them. "Clueless, aren't you? Good thing I'm here," she said, " Spells of ice work well against fire fiends... And ice fiends are weak against fire magic. You follow?"

" get fire and ice, but what about lightning and water?" Tidus asked.

"Lightning and water are opposed, just like fire and ice," Lulu explained, "This one here is a water fiend, which means…"

"That the only way to kill it is by using lightening!" Sakura and Neji said.

Lulu smiled, then nodded before zapping the water fiend, which melted into pyreflies. "You pick up fast," Lulu commented before continuing on the path. The group ended up by the cliff overlooking Besaid that Wakka and Tidus were at earlier. Lulu and Yuna gazed over at the village.

"Take your time," Lulu said gently.

"Let's get going, man!" Tidus said impatiently.

Wakka shook his head. "We're gonna wait," he told them. Soon, Yuna walked between the two. "Are you ready?" he asked her. To which, Yuna nodded.

"What's going on?" Tidus asked.

The group noticed Wakka praying to a stone.

"It's an ancient custom. People leaving the island pray here for a safe trip," Wakka explained, "Chappu didn't pray that day. Said he'd miss his boat."

Naruto and the rest of the shinobi decide to follow suit, and prayed as well. After praying a couple more times, Wakka got up.

"That should do it!" he said.

The group continued along the path of Besaid Island. Yuna's beastly guardian suddenly jumps down from several structures, landing in front of Tidus. He smashes his two fists into the ground and lets loose an incredible growl. The two exchange hits. Naruto, sensing a battle turned around to find Tidus fighting one of Yuna's guardians.

"Hey! I thought you were on our side!" he yelled at the beast. He prepared himself for a fight, but Wakka interrupted him before he could do anything.

"That's enough!"

Wakka walked up to Tidus, who was visibly shaken. The beast just shook its head before walking away.

"What's with that guy?" Tidus asked.

"Kimahri Ronso, of the Ronso tribe. He's learned the fiends' way of fighting," Lulu answered.

Tidus crossed his arms, "That's not what I meant!"

"He's another of Yuna's guardians," Wakka explained.

Naruto and Tidus gave him an incredulous look.

Yuna laughed, "Sometimes we don't understand him either. Kimahri doesn't talk much anyway." Wakka hummed i agreement. "But he has protected me since I was a child!" Yuna added.

Finally, the group was at the beach, more specifically the harbour, to where the boat is. Yuna watched the people on the dock as the boat started to leave. People were crying, and held sad expressions. The ship gave off a sound, and Yuna started waving to the people, who waved back. She did the prayer gesture. Naruto noticed a little boy who was crying as he waved to Yuna. Yuna gave a small smile before waving to the boy. The boy gave another sob.

"Hey kid!" Naruto said as he jumped off of the boat.

"Naruto!" Sakura and Lee cried.

"What are you doing?" Neji said sharply, "The ship is about to take off!"

Naruto walked up to the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. The kid looked at him in shock. "Don't worry about Lady Yuna okay? She'll be back before you know it. Believe it!"

The boy looked at him with wide eyes, before smiling. Satisfied, Naruto ran and jumped back onto the ship.

"Goodbye," Yuna softly said.

**A/N:** Review…..and sorry it's so long. But I guess better long than short right? XD


	4. To Kilika

**A/N: **I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy

Trinity Fenton-Phantom - Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate it.

JenGon - Thank you! I was rereading what I had and was horrified by how many grammar problems I had and what not. I hope it didn't deter from the story =/

Chapter 4

It was a sunny day on the ocean. The sea was blue, the sky was clear, there was even a slight breeze. Naruto stretched his arms up and gave a satisfying sigh. Sakura and Tenten were enjoying the beautiful day. Even Neji had a slight smile on his face.

Naruto then made a gesture to Lee in wanting to train. He was rewarded with a slap to the head by his pink-haired teammate, who then proceeded to yell at him the reasons they_shouldn't_train.

Tidus walked up to a group of people who were crowded around the summoner.

"Word is that summoner's got noble blood!" a person on the outside said to his friend.

"I heard she's Lord Braska's daughter!" his friend answered back.

"Ya don't say?" the first guy commented.

Tidus gave a puzzled look. "Lord Braska's...daughter?" Wakka walked up to Tidus. "So, is Yuna's father famous or something?"

Wakka nodded. "She's the daughter of High Summoner Braska! You saw his statue at the temple. Lord Braska defeated Sin ten years ago. Yuna's the heir to a great legacy!"

Tidus hung his head. "It's tough when your father's famous."

"Huh?"

Lulu gave Wakka a look, "Wakka's…a bit lacking in the imagination department."

"Huh?" Wakka repeated.

Tidus laughed. "Thank, Lulu. I'll keep that in mind."

The crowd around the young summoner slowly disintegrated. Naruto and Lee asked some of the Aurochs to teach them some blitzball moves. They happily obliged, until they figured out that Lee had the power to kick their ball so far that they wouldn't be able to retrieve it. So they stopped. Tenten and Sakura were still enjoying the calm scene.

Tidus noticed Yuna by the bow of the boat, took the opportunity to get to know her better, and walked up so that he was beside her. They were both at the front of the boat, looking out to sea. A soft breeze was blowing. Tidus lifted his arms in a large stretch.

"The wind...it's nice," Yuna said in a soft voice.

"Mmhmm," Tidus hummed in agreement.

Yuna looked at him, "You're a blitzball player, aren't you? From Zanarkand, right?"

Tidus eyes opened wide, before returning normal. "You hear that from Wakka?" he asked and then hung his head, "Wakka doesn't believe me at all." He looked at the sea.

Yuna looked down at the ground before looking back at the young spikey-haired man.

"But…I believe you," she said in a soft voice.

Tidus gave her an incredulous look. "Huh?"

Yuna's eyes lit up at his confusion. "I've heard in Zanarkand..." she started, "there is a great stadium, all lit up even at night! Great blitzball tournaments are held there, and the stands are always full!"

Tidus, still not believing that she knew all of that, "How do you know that?"

Yuna gave him an innocent look.

"A man named Jecht told me."

Tidus inwardly froze at the name. No, it couldn't be the_same_Jecht….not_his_Jecht anyway…his good for nothing father.

"He was my father's guardian."

Tidus gave Yuna looks of surprise, but it quickly turned in frustration. He started to mutter the name "Jecht" in a low voice several times.

"My father…" he finally spoke, "His name is Jecht!"

Yuna's whole face lit up. "Amazing!" she cried. Before getting too excited, she did the prayer gesture. She walked up right into Tidus's face. "You know, our meeting like this must be the blessing of Yevon!"

Tidus tilted his head. "Sounds like him, but it can't be him," he said.

"Why not?"

"My old man, he died. Ten years ago, off the coast of Zanarkand," Tidus explained, his eyes out on the vast sea in front of them.

Yuna turned away, ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry."

"He went out to sea for training one day...and never came back," Tidus explained, "And no one's seen him since then."

Yuna thought for a moment. Her brow furrowed, "Why, that's the day that Jecht came to Spira." Tidus gave her a look. "It's true! I first met Jecht ten years and three months ago!" Yuna explained, ""I remember, that was the day my father left." Both of them were silent for a moment. "The date fits, doesn't it?" she slowly asked, not wanting to upset him further.

Tidus was at a loss for words. "Yeah, but how would he get here?" he finally asked.

"You're here, are you not?"

Tidus just looks at her, unable to answer. Yuna smiles and starts giggle, Tidus joining her soon after. The Leaf shinobi looked at the two teenagers laughing.

"What do you suppose they're laughing about?" Naruto whispered to the other four.

"I don't know, Naruto," Sakura sighed.

"But they sure do look cute together, right Neji?" Tenten grinned and looked at her lavender-eyed teammate.

"Hmph," was her only reply.

"Yosh! The power of youth is flowing through them! If only Gai-sensei were here to see this!" Lee exclaimed.

All of the sudden, the boat started to shake and rumble as if something had run into it.

"Woah! What was that?" Naruto exclaimed.

Some people tumbled over, while others just tried to grab something to hold onto. The Leaf shinobi started pumping chakra to their feet, preventing them from falling over. The boat was hit again.

"Neji," Lee began.

The Hyuuga boy nodded and closed his eyes. "Byakugan!" The veins appeared on his forehead. He looked around himself, but didn't find anything. He felt something below the ship. Looking down, he saw the figure of a huge monster. Sin.

"Oh no," Neji exclaimed.

"What is it?" Sakura called out as she tried to maintain her balance. Tenten was trying to do the same.

"Sin is underneath the ship!" he shouted.

The boat rumbled and jerked again, this time harder.

Tidus grabbed Yuna's hand as she fell. The ship began to tilt to one side. Tidus felt his grip on Yuna slip. She fell and grabbed the harpoon machinery, but she knew her grip wouldn't last long.

"Lady Yuna!" Lee cried. He made his way over to her and gripped her shoulders, trying to study her.

Kimahri, studying himself first, jumped over to where Yuna and Lee were. Lee backed off as Kimahri put his muscular arms around her, securing her in place. The ship leveled out.

Suddenly, a massive grey dorsal fin shot out of the water.

"Sin!" someone yelled.

"There's no doubt about it," Neji said, "That's the same monster that attacked the Leaf Village." His eyes narrowed. The others nodded.

Everyone else on the ship gasped and started to panic. Sin started to move past the boat. People gasped were in awe, yet terrified of the monstrous beast. The man who yelled "Sin!" positioned himself behind the harpoon where Yuna was. Another man positioned himself behind a second harpooned that was a couple feet away on the other side. Wakka's eyes widened as he realized what they were about to do.

"What do you think you're doing?" he yelled to the man, "Stick a harpoon in him and we'll all get dragged under!"

"Sin is going for Kilika! We gotta distract it!" the man replied. He looked at Yuna, "Our families are in Kilika! Forgive us, Lady Summoner!"

Yuna gave a nod.

"Wait—" Wakka began, but the men had already fired the harpoon. "Oh, boy..."

The two harpoons connected to the fin. The boat started moving fast as the fin dragged it. A ton of water splashed onto the deck. Tidus threw himself towards the railing, hanging on for dear life.

"Look!" Tenten cried as she pointed to things that were falling towards them.

Scales from the dorsal fin detached themselves, and landed on deck. They then transformed into bug-like fiends.

Naruto gasped. "Those are the same bugs that Tidus and I fought from before!" He then noticed all of Yuna's guardians assembling themselves up for battle.

"We have no choice," Lulu explained, "We need to protect everyone on this ship and to try to slow Sin down!"

Tidus and Kimahri were busy attacking the bug-like fiends while Wakka and Lulu attacked the fin. Each time the bug-like fiend was killed, another took its place. Yuna healed anyone who was injured.

Neji quickly analyzed and took control of the situation. "Tenten, Sakura, see if you can get any long range attacks on that fin. Naruto and Lee, you and I will fight the fiends on the deck."

"But we can also do close-range battle! Let's just get up close!" Naruto argued.

"No, Naruto. We don't know enough about Sin. Those waves it's creating would prove too difficult for us. It would be too dangerous," Neji explained.

Neji quickly dodged a spin attack that the bug-like fiend spat out. Tenten hurriedly pulled out a scroll. Dashing to the edge of the boat, she unraveled it towards the fin. Using her free hand to make a hand sign, a bunch of explosive kunai erupted from the scroll and dug into the fin. With another sign, the kunai exploded. As the smoke cleared, Tenten's eyes widened.

"What?"

The fin remained untouched. Instead, it went underneath the boat to the other side. A new wave of scales flew towards the deck. Deciding to end it quickly, Neji quickly positioned himself in the middle of the new wave.

"Eight Trigrams Palm Revolving Heaven!" A huge blue barrier formed around him as he quickly spun. All the scales that hit the barrier were killed on contact. "Yuna! Your aeon!" he called to her.

Yuna looked at him, before nodding her head. "Right," she said and ran to the middle of the deck. Everyone quickly moved out of her way as she summoned Valefor. The huge phoenix attacked the fin a couple of times, before being attacked by the bug-like fiends.

After enduring the attacks, the phoenix gave a might flap of its wings and killed the remains fiends on the deck. Then, it lifted itself in the air. A huge ball of energy formed in its beak and a beam shot out horizontally at Sin's dorsal fin. An explosion followed where the line was.

"Woah! What was that?" Naruto asked.

"It's Valefor's special attack, Energy Ray," Yuna answered.

Sin did nothing for a minute. Suddenly, everyone heard creaking coming from the harpoon stand, and it snapped off as Sin dove beneath the waves.

"Oh no!" Sakura cried. But before anyone could do anything, Sin's enormous tail shot out of the water and slapped the surface. A huge tidal wave hit the boat, and everyone shielded himself or herself.

The sea returned to its calm state. All was silent in the boat.

Neji surveyed his team, not realizing that a certain loud-mouth shinobi wasn't there. They looked like a drowned dogs, but were fine.

"Is everyone alright?" Neji called out. He looked around. Yuna was fine, a little shaken, but fine. Kimahri was beside her, no emotion on his face. Lulu was stood emotionless as well, contemplating what had just happened. Wakka also seemed a bit shaken up. He was looking around frantically.

"Neji, where's Naruto and Tidus?" Sakura asked as she realized that her teammate wasn't there.

Wakka ran over to the railing, and looked around before diving into the water. Neji activated his Byakugan and followed Wakka with his eyes.

Underwater, Tidus was floating around, motionless. Several fish were attacking him. Naruto was floating too, unconscious. His eyes slowly opened, and he jerked awake as he realized he was underwater. He started to swim towards the surface until he saw Tidus's body being attacked by fish fiends. Just as he was about to head towards the other blonde, a blitzball shot out and hit all the fiends, scaring them away. Naruto looked in the direction where the ball had come from and saw Wakka swimming towards them.

He gave Naruto a thumbs-up before reaching into his pocket, and throwing a potion at Tidus who woke up. Tidus looked around and found Wakka beside him, who gave him a thumbs-up. Tidus returned the gestured. Naruto grinned, before realizing he was running out of air, and shot up towards the surface.

Sakura and the others heard his gasp of breath, and moved their way to the railing and saw Naruto's head bobbing in the water.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried as she smiled.

The spikey blonde-haired shinobi looked up and grinned. "It's alright!" he called out to them, "Tidus and Wakka are on their way." He started to move so that he was standing on the water, but paused as he sensed something underneath the water. He turned around and peered through the water.

Wakka and Tidus were fighting a massive jelly-fish fiend.

"Huh?" Naruto squinted his eyes. But his thinking was cut short as the fiend starting to move his tentacles like a blender, hitting Tidus and Wakka. Unfortunetly for Naruto, he got the aftershock of the attack and flew right into the side of the boat.

"What's going on? What was that?" Yuna asked in a worried voice. Tidus and Wakka were too deep in the water for them to see. Neji activated his Byakugan once again, and his eyes widened.

"What is it? What do you see, Neji?" Sakura asked. Lulu and Yuna were also listening.

"They're fighting some sort of fish fiend. It looks almost like a gigantic jelly-fish," Neji tried to explain.

Yuna looked a Lulu. "Do you think it's a…?"

"Sinspawn. Yes, I believe it is," Lulu finished.

Yuna gasped. "We have to help them!" she cried. But she knew that there was nothing she nor her other two guardians could do. Yuna looked at Neji for help, but he sadly shook his head.

"I'm afraid we are no help either," he said, "None of us know any water style jutsu. But perhaps Lady Hinata, if she were here, could help us."

"Or if Kakashi-sensei were here," she murmured, "He probably has a couple of water jutsus up his sleeve."

"Or even Shikamaru," Neji added, "With the way he observes and strategizes things."

By this time, Naruto had heaved himself on the deck boring a bruise on his face. "We gotta help them some how," he persisted.

"But how?" Lee asked.

Naruto looked at the weapons-user. "Tenten, don't you have any weapons that would be work underneath the water somehow?"

Tenten thought for a moment.

"Yes! Tenten, do you remember that one time you were helping me train? You put a huge block of metal on my back while I was doing push-ups!" Lee added.

A smile appeared on Tenten's face, "Oh yeah." She took out a scroll. "I think I can conjure something up."

"Make sure you get enough altitude," Sakura said, "the higher up you go, the more power and impact it will have."

"They're 5 five feet northeast of us, over there," Neji pointed.

Tenten nodded, and turned to Lee. "You'll have to give me a boost," she told him.

"Yosh! I shall conjure up all the training Gai-sensei has taught us. And if I shall fail, I will do 10,000 push-ups with that block on my back!" Lee declared. Naruto, Tenten, and Sakura sweatdropped while Neji just shook his head.

Gripping each other's arms, Lee started swinging Tenten in a circle to gain some speed. He then tossed her in the direction where Neji had pointed. Tenten quickly looked down and spotted the shadow of the huge fiend. She unraveled the scroll and bit her thumb, drawing blood. She smeared her blood on the scroll in one streak and held the scroll above her so that it was rippling around her. Then she had her other hand grab the other end of the scroll and positioned the scroll so that it was facing down. She gave the scroll a snap and a huge block of metal appeared in a puff of cloud from the scroll and started to fall towards the water, gaining speed as it continued to fall.

It hit the water and hit the fiend on target, creating a big splash. Tenten landed on the water's surface, a smug look on her face. She watched as the huge fiend burst into a myriad of pyreflies and watched them with curiosity.

Wakka and Tidus came up to the surface. "Maaan, that was some attack, ya?" he praised Tenten, who blushed.

"Yeah, thanks for helping us," Tidus added.

"It was no trouble," Tenten waved off as she started walking towards the boat. Tidus and Wakka followed her.

"How do you think she's standing on the water like that?" Tidus whispered to Wakka who shrugged.

"Beats me, why don't you ask her?" he whispered back.

With everyone back on the boat, they continued on to Kilika, only to be horrified at the sight. The place was devastated. Debris was everywhere; houses and trees were torn up, there were injured people, children were crying.

The Leaf Shinobi looked in awe as Yuna and her group just look on with sad faces.

"Wh-What happened?" Naruto asked.

"Sin came and destroyed the island," Lulu said in a calm voice, "That is what it is born to do. Destroy."

"Who could have created such a monster?" Sakura whispered.

Tidus watched a lone blitzball floating in the water. It was sunset, and he moved over to Yuna and put his head in her lap. Yuna looked at the devastated island.

"I will defeat Sin... _Imust_defeat Sin," she vowed.

"Yuna," Wakka called out to her. He was waiting over by Lulu and Kimahri who were by the ships entrance. "We've reached the harbor."

Tidus got up so Yuna could move. He and the Leaf Shinobi followed her. They followed her off the boat. Several elder people approached them.

"Greetings! I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the temple in Besaid, " Yuna introduced herself.

"M'lady Summoner!" the elder man acknowledged, his voice heavily laced with grief.

Yuna looked at him with gentle eyes. "If there is no other summoner here, please allow me to perform the sending," she told him.

"Thanks be to ye!" he said.

"Our loved ones..." the elder woman added, "We feared they would become fiends!"

"Please, take me to them."

The elderly couple led the way. Yuna, Lulu, and Kimahri followed while Tidus, Wakka, and the Leaf shinobi stayed behind.

"We'll go see what we can do to help in town," Wakka explained as he motioned for the Besaid Aurochs to come with him.

"Neji we should go help, too," Lee said to his teammate.

"I think Wakka's got it covered," the Hyuuga boy replied, "Besides, Yuna is going to perform the sending. It'll be a chance for us to gather more information."

So the Leaf shinobi, plus Tidus, went down the same path as the elderly couple. They found themselves staring out at the sea. Yuna was talking to the elderly couple. Tidus took this time to approach Lulu.

"Uh, what's a "sending"? Are we going somewhere?" he carefully asked her. The Leaf shinobis' ears perked up, wanting to know more as well.

Lulu sighed, "You truly are clueless. Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?"

Tidus put his hands on in defense.

"Ouch, that was kinda harsh," Naruto muttered as Sakura and Lee nodded in agreement.

"The dead need guidance," Lulu began, "Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see…they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it?"

Everyone remained silent, absorbing all that Lulu had just said.

"The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace," Lulu finished.

"Summoners do this?" Tidus asked.

Lulu nodded, and motioned for them to watch as Yuna began to step out onto the water.

Yuna started walking out towards the sea, her staff in hand. Bouquets of flowers filled the water underneath her. She paused, waiting for a gentle breeze to caress her face, and began to dance. The people of Kilika began to cry as they watched their loved ones being sent away. Lulu, Tidus, Kimahri, and the Leaf shinobi watched on. Naruto felt an unknown emotion stir within him, and judging by the looks on his comrades' faces, they felt it as well.

Small globes of energy, pyreflies, began to come out of the flowers, and rose out of the water, gathering upwards. The flames from the torches turned blue. The water Yuna was standing suddenly rose into the air, bringing her up with it as she continues the motions while the pyreflies begin to fly up as well.

"Are those…the souls of the dead?" Naruto whispered as he watched the pyreflies disappear to an unknown location. But no one answered him.

Yuna started to walk back towards the dock.

"It must be tough, being a summoner," Tidus commented.

"Yuna chose her own path. She knew from the beginning what it meant," Lulu replied, "All we can do is protect her along the way…until the end."

Tidus looked at her. "Until the...end? What's the end?" he asked.

This time, the Leaf shinobi looked at him as everyone else turns and stares at Tidus. Lulu sighed and put her hands up in defeat.

"Until she defeats Sin," she stated before walking over to where Yuna was. Upon spotting the black mage, Yuna ran up to her.

"I hope... I hope I did okay," she said.

Lulu put an arm around the young summoner. "You did very well," she reassured the young girl, "They've reached the Farplane by now. But...no tears next time, hm?"

"I wished there would never be a next time," Tidus muttered to himself, "No more people being killed by Sin. No more sendings for Yuna. Everyone stood there watching her. It was strange, and somehow...horrifying."

The Leaf shinobi nodded and hummed in agreement.

"I never wanted to see it again," Tidus stated and started to walk towards the hut for some rest.

The Leaf shinobi stayed silent for a moment.

"I guess it's a good thing fiends don't exist in our world, huh?" Naruto said, trying to lightened the mood. "If they did, just imagine how many there would be."

Sakura glared at her teammate. "Naruto, that's not funny," she scolded, "And even if there_were_fiends, there probably wouldn't be many."

"What do you mean, Sakura?"

Neji sighed. "Remember how Lulu explained that the fiends are the spirits of people who haven't accepted their death? Well…we shinobi realize that death is inevitable. We would gladly give our lives if it meant protecting our village. In that perspective, we've already accepted death."

"Ohhhh…"

Neji just shook his head. "We should get some rest," he said, "I heard Wakka talking about how we're going to head to the Kilika temple tomorrow. It'll be a big day." And with that, the five shinobi went to the same hut as Tidus, to go to sleep.

88888888

Tidus woke up the next morning to find everyone already gone. As he walked outside the hut, a bald guy ran up to him. It was Datto from the Aurochs.

"Hey! You awake? Cap'n Wakka's waitin' for you!" he told the younger man.

Tidus followed Datto and found Wakka helping the Aurochs to fix a damaged boat. Wakka turned his head as he heard the two approach them.

"Ah, there you are! Besaid Aurochs! Huddle!" he called to his team. The Aurochs left the boat to rejoin Wakka and Tidus. "On to the temple, where we pray for victory!" he declared.

Tidus watched the Aurochs run off into the direction of a forest.

"High Summoner Ohalland used to live in the Kilika temple here," Wakka explained "Yep, Lord Ohalland was once a great blitzer, you know?"

"Wakka..." Tidus began, "Praying for victory's all good...but is this right?"

"Something wrong with enjoying blitzball?"

"Is this really the time?"

Wakka clenched his fist in excitement, "This is the only time! The players fight with all their strength: the fans cheer for their favorite team. They forget pain, suffering... only the game matters! That's why blitz has been around for so long. Least that's what I think."

Tidus just waved his hand, "Whatever you say."

"Let's play...and win!" Wakka declared, "Right?"

Tidus nodded his head. "Right!"

Wakka nodded and pointed to the forest, "Temple's beyond the jungle there. Let's go!"

They walked to the jungle to find everyone there already. Neji and Tenten had their arms crossed, Naruto had his behind his head, Sakura had her placed in front her, and Lee's was at his side.

"You know…it's hard to believe we used to complain about Kakashi being late," Naruto said to Sakura who agreed.

"What's up?" Wakka asked as he noticed the face Lulu had.

"Yuna's saying she wants you with us," Lulu said as she motioned to Tidus.

"Huh?" Tidus was confused.

Yuna looked at Tidus in the eye. "I want to ask you to be my guardian."

Wakka started to freak out. "Yuna! What? This is no time for jokes, ya?" he said

"He may be a blitzball whiz kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie."

Yuna sighed reluctantly. "Not a guardian, then... I just want him nearby."

Wakka's face was surprised.

Tidus was still confused. "What? What do you mean?" He turned to Naruto. "You guys guardians too?"

"Not really," Naruto began as he started to think.

"We're just sort of tag-a-longs," Tenten explained, "Although Lady Yuna asked us to be her guardians, we're just here with you guys until we get to Luca. You see…we're searching for some of our friends."

"This is true. But until we arrive to this Luca, we will help protect Lady Yuna," Lee added.

"So like a part-time guardian," Sakura finished.

Tidus looked at Yuna. "You want me to be a guardian, too?" he asked her.

"It's just that, well..." Yuna stuttered.

"We're all going to the temple anyway. Can't this wait till later?" Lulu asked, agitated.

Yuna nodded and turned back to Tidus. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Tidus told her, "I'm just not really sure what's going on."

Yuna bowed her head, "My apologies."

Everyone started forward and came to a small bridge. They found Luzzu and Gatta already there. Behind them was a large red tentacle monster.

Gatta ran up to them. "Company, halt!" he told them.

Luzzu walked up to them. "The fiend before us is Ochu, Lord of the Wood!" he explained, "We've had trouble with this one before. Remember, discretion is the better part of valor."

The group carefully maneuvered their way past the fiend.

"Woah, I wonder what kind of fiend this is," Naruto said as he stepped closer to the fiend.

Sakura turned around just in time to see her teammate step on one of the fiend's tentacles.

"Naruto! Wait—"

There was a crunch as the tentacle was stepped. The fiend roared in pain and anger.

"Uh oh," Naruto gulped as the fiend started to advance on him. He then saw a small shadow on the fiend. It got bigger and bigger—

"SHANNARO!"

Sakura came down with a striking punch to the fiend. Sakura landed next to Naruto and watched as the fiend burst into flames, and then disappeared in a fit of pyreflies. Lulu had caught up with them.

"Whoooa!" Gatta gawked.

"A summoner and her guardians. Very impressive!" Luzzu praised.

Gatta looked at his commander, "Sir, we should fight, too!"

Luzzu smiled. "We'll get our chance soon enough."

They began to leave with Gatta singing a small tune.

"Young Crusaders gather round! We'll beat Sin into the ground!"

"I still think we should be called crusaders," Naruto spoke up. He then found himself holding a very sore spot on his head that had suddenly appeared.

"You IDIOT! What did you think you were doing waking a fiend up like that?" Sakura yelled at him.

"Ehh…hold on Sakura. P-please don't hurt me!" Naruto begged.

The group just chuckled as they continued on the path. They eventually reached the end, which were stone steps.

"These stone steps have a history, you know?" Wakka said, "Yep, Lord Ohalland trained here at this peak."

Tidus looks up the steps. A LOT of steps, mind you. He then noticed the Aurochs stretching, laughing a somewhat evil laugh.

It hit him.

"A race, huh?" he asked, "Think you can beat me?"

Lee looked at Naruto. "Naruto, how about you and I race to the top?" he suggested, "Think of it as extra training."

"Extra training?" the blonde shinobi's eyes sparkled, "You bet!"

The two disappeared in the streak as they made their way up the stairs. Sakura and Tenten giggled as Neji sighed and shook his head. They went after the two. Wakka, Tidus, and the Aurochs watched in awe.

"Man, that's some speed there, ya?" Wakka said, "Just think how cool it would be if we had that speed. Haha, we'd be the fastest blitzball team there ever was!"

Wakka, Tidus, and two Aurochs lined up in a row.

"Yuna, if you would," Wakka asked.

Yuna nodded and went to the front. "Ready?" Giggling, she began to run up the steps herself.

"Hey! Hey!"

Wakka and the Aurochs followed her, Tidus running up the steps after them. As he got closer to the top, he stopped as the Aurochs came running back down. Lulu and Kimahri were behind Tidus.

"L-Look out!" Datto cried.

"Everyone, quick! Sinspawn!" Wakka's voice was heard.

Tidus, Lulu, and Kimahri hurried to the top of the stairs, where they were met by a platform. A huge cocoon like fiend was seen with four tentacles at each corner of the platform.

Sakura quickly used her inhumane strength at the main fiend, but the cocoon didn't open. Instead, it made a movement of inhaling and exhaling, green fog coming out. It hit Sakura, who fell to the ground, paralyzed.

"Sakura!" Naruto and Lee cried.

Wakka quickly ran over to the fallen girl, being careful of the huge Sinspawn, and lifted a vial to her lips. "Drink this, it'll get rid of the poison," he urged her. Once she did, they jumped back before another green mist came out form the fiend. Wakka looked at Lulu.

"Lu, can you use any magic?" he asked her.

The black mage shook her head. "Those tentacles in the corners will absorb any magic I produce," she explained.

"No problem," Naruto said as he nodded to his fellow shinobi. Neji, Tenten, Sakura, and Naruto each threw two explosive kunai at a tentacle. They made a hand sign, and the kunais exploded, killing the tentacles.

"Haha! Right on!" Wakka cheered.

Neji looked at Yuna. "Can you summon your aeon?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"It's still resting up from the last battle. It will have just be us," she said. Neji nodded before getting into a fighting stance, activating his Byakugan. He looked at the Sinspawn and saw a creature within the cocoon. "We need force it out of its cocoon," he explained, "Any damage we do is futile unless it comes out."

Lulu wasted no time casting fire spells, while everyone else tried to use physical attacks. No one noticed a figure in the trees, watching them with lazy eyes.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee cried as he executed taijutsu on the fiend. But it still didn't open. "How much more do we have to do?" he asked.

Just then, the cocoon started to rumble, and out popped an insect-looking fiend with tentacle-like fingers. The tentacles in the corners also came back up.

"This is bad," Tenten muttered as she dodged the fiend's tentacle fingers.

The tables were starting to turn on them, and fast. The figure in the tree jumped down to the ground, and stayed there in a squatting position. Tenten dodged more tentacles, and suddenly found herself right in front of the monster. It spat venom at her, poisoning and paralyzing her. Everyone looked in her direction at her cry.

"Tenten!" Lee cried. He tried to reach her, but tentacles prevented him from doing so. Neji attempted to do the same, but was met with the same thing. Everyone could only watch in horror as the Sinspawn prepared another attack, when suddenly it stopped moving. The tentacles at the corners also paused their movement.

Neji looked down at the ground and found a shadow underneath the fiend. His eyes followed the shadow to its source, which was hidden by the shadows of the trees. Everyone else followed his gaze.

"Shadows?' Sakura said aloud.

"Shadows," Lee confirmed.

Neji closed his eyes and smirked. "Which could only mean that Shi—"

"SHIKAMARU!" Naruto yelled, "Boy are we glad to see you!"

**A/N:** Shikamaru to the rescue! Sorry about the long update. You know, I didn't think I'd introduce someone in Kilika, but I guess I did. BUT…did you guys notice that I haven't mentioned anything about Chouji and Ino? Ehehehehehehe…..


	5. Kilika Temple

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy X.

**Chapter 5**

Shikamaru chuckled and revealed his hiding spot. "What a drag…you decided to play hero and suddenly we're in a new world," he said in a lazy voice. Naruto gave a sheepish laugh.

"Yeah well, I didn't ask you to follow me."

"Woah, what kinda magic is that?" Wakka mused out loud as he observed the shadows. He looked at Lulu.

"Its magic that not even a black mage knows," came the reply.

"Sinspawn not move. We should attack now," came the voice of the Ronso. He lunged at the Sinspawn and skewed it with his spear.

"Hey, I'm with Kimahri," Tidus piped up as he went up and sliced the fiend.

"Wait a second, the weird blue lion man can speak?" Naruto shouted, forgetting the battle that was at hand.

"Naruto," Sakura scolded, "Stop getting distracted. Right now we need to defeat this fiend!"

Wakka hurled his ball at it, satisfied when it gave of a resounding "smack."

Naruto's eyes got serious. "Right," he said. He looked over at Neji and Lee who were helping their fallen comrade. Tenten's eyes were tightly shut and her breathing was ragged.

"Lu, can you still use your magic?" Wakka asked as he caught the ball.

The black mage shook her head. "I'm afraid not. As long as those tentacles exist, my magic will be useless," she said.

"So let's just get rid of the tentacles," Tidus said.

"No, focus on the Sinspawn while its still restrained," Lulu countered.

"But your fire spells can do a lot more damage than what we're making combined," Wakka shot back as he hurled his ball at the Sinspawn again.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed. He brought his hands, which were still posed in a hand sign, to his face. "Ninja Art: Shadow Neck Binding Technique!"

Yuna and her guardians watched in awe as the shadows attached to the tentacles quickly wrapped themselves around the tentacles and crushed them. Pyreflies flew away from the shadows as they retreated back to Shikamaru.

Hearing Tenten's cry of pain, Yuna quickly ran over to Team Gai. "She's poisoned," Yuna said as she quickly looked her over.

"Is there an antidote?" Neji asked worriedly. He was helping Tenten reach a sitting position.

Wakka, Tidus, and Kimahri were mercilessly attacking the Sinspawn with their weapons, while Lulu was casting her strongest fire spells, which did a lot of damage. Sakura and Naruto attacked with explosive tags, making use of the fire it gave off.

Yuna gently shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have any on me. But I do know some white magic."

"White magic?" Lee echoed.

Yuna stood back, her staff in her hand. She brought the staff horizontally in front of her, her other hand laid gently across her arm. She started to give off a faint glow. "Esuna." She gently swept her staff in front of her and towards Tenten.

The weapons specialist immedietly felt the pain go away, but she was still weak. Neji and Lee quickly hoisted her up and away from danger.

Shikamaru, who had watched Yuna with interested eyes, suddenly grunted as the Sinspawn tried to free itself from the shadow.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto cried.

"What a drag," he murmured to himself. Sweat started to form on his brow as he struggled to maintain control. "I won't be able to hold on much longer," he explained through clenched teeth. "I don't have much chakra left."

"But we still haven't beat it yet," Tidus said in a worried voice, "How much more can this thing take?"

"No worries, ya? I got this!" Wakka shouted. He started spinning the ball on his finger. Suddenly, it was engulfed in flames. He tossed the ball in the air and gave it a good kick, aiming it at the Sinspawn who you could see moving, somewhat. Shikamaru quickly released his jutsu just as the ball made contact with the fiend.

The Sinspawn roared in pain before lying motionless on the ground, turning translucent as pyreflies it floated away from it.

Tidus fell to the ground in a heap. "Yeesh!" Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura followed his action.

"Man, that was so much work," Shikamaru sighed, "Missions are nothing compared to this." Naruto and the other shinobi nodded in agreement.

Wakka scratched the back of his head as he walked over to them. "Sorry about that! Hoped to break you in a little slower."

"Being a guardian's tiring!" Tidus said as he got up.

Wakka waved his hand. "You handled yourself pretty well. All of you. You guys got talent." Tidus gave a sheep laugh as Wakka looked over at Shikamaru. "Hey, what's your name?"

The lazy genius only yawned.

"That's Shikamaru," Sakura said and stood up.

Wakka crossed his arms "Hmm, friend of yours?"

"Yeah!" Naruto piped up, "Shikamaru and I go wayyy back."

Yuna walked up to Shikamaru who had just gotten up. He looked at her, and was startled by her mismatched eyes. "I must thank you for helping us," she said as she bowed to him.

Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Oh, uh….it was nothing."

"So, what are these "sinspawn" anyway?" Tidus asked.

"Fiends," Lulu explained, "They fall from Sin's body, and are left behind in its wake."

Wakka followed her. "Leave 'em alone, and Sin comes back for 'em. You gotta be quick!"

Tidus watched as Yuna and Kimahri made their way to the stairs. "You know, maybe I _should_ seriously consider becoming a guardian," he said to himself.

"Wakka did say you had the talent," Sakura reminded him.

"Yeah, that's right! I bet you'd be the best guardian Yuna's ever had!" Naruto said enthusiastically.

Shikamaru looked at Neji with a look of question. Neji sent him a we'll-fill-you-in-later look. Tidus laughed as they made their way to the stairs. Wakka and Lulu were waiting for them.

"So, uh...they got fiends in Zanarkand, too?" Wakka asked as Tidus approached him and Lulu.

Tidus shrugged. "Just a few. It's a big deal when one shows up, though." He jumped back. "Hey! Since when have you believed me about Zanarkand, anyway?"

Wakka crossed his arms, a pensive look on his face. "I been thinking. Maybe people Sin gets to don't die. Maybe Sin carries 'em through time. Like a thousand years through time." He uncrossed his arms. "And then, one day, maybe they just pop back, see?"

Lulu put a hand to her head. "Amazing. Simply amazing," she said in a dry voice, "You make up one theory after another, refusing to face the simple truth." She looked Wakka in the eye. "Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere. Sin crushed him and left him on the Djose shore! Your brother won't just "pop" back."

Everyone cringed at her tone.

She turned to walk up the stairs before stopping herself. "Oh, and one more thing. No matter how much you want it, no one can take Chappu's place," She directed her tone at Wakka. "No one can replace Sir Jecht, for that matter. And there's no replacement for Lord Braska, either," that was directed to Yuna, "It's pointless to think about it, and sad."

Naruto and Sakura looked at Lulu. Lee, Tenten, and Neji were silent. What Lulu said was true. Harsh, but true.

Having said her piece, Lulu made her way up the stairs, Yuna and Kimahri following.

"Women are so troublesome," Shikamaru mumbled to himself.

Their attention was on Wakka, who hadn't said a word. "I...I could never be what Chappu was," he said in a low voice. He took a deep breath. "Well, stuff happens. Best not to worry," he said and walked up the stairs. Tidus followed him.

"Chappu is Wakka's younger brother," Neji explained to Shikamaru, "Apparently his appearance is similar to Tidus, the young blonde-haired guy."

"I feel like something happened between him and Lulu," Tenten commented, "She sure is touchy on the topic."

"Uh-huh, and I'm guessing that this Chappu guy is dead?" Shikamaru asked as he put his hands behind his head.

Tenten nodded mutely. The Leaf shinobi made their way up the stairs. They looked at the entrance of the temple with curiosity. The temple was red, and flames were everywhere. A big flame rested underneath them with some sort of blue barrier containing it. They walked up to Tidus and the rest of the gang who were being approached by a trio clad in purple outfits. The leader had red hair, and was flanked by a man with dirty blonde hair and another man with black hair.

"Bickson, you here to pray for victory, too?" Wakka asked the leader.

The man scoffed. "Us? Pray? Who needs to pray? The Luca Goers _always_ win!"

"The Luca what?" Naruto whispered to Sakura who only shushed him.

"Oh, yeah? Then why are you here?" Wakka retorted.

"We've been praying for some competition this year!" The blonde haired man answered.

"So what's your goal this time? You gonna "do your best" again?" Bickson mocked. "Ha! It's too bad your best isn't good enough! Why even bother showing up?"

Tidus clenched his fists. "This time, we play to win!" he interrupted.

Bickson rolled his eyes. "Oooh! Play away! Just remember even kids can play, boys," he said before he and his teammates walked away.

"See you in the finals!" Wakka called after them.

Tidus looked down at the ground, still angry. "We'll beat them. We have to!"

Yuna gave him a surprised look. "You know that team?"

Tidus looked up. "Putting people down...they're as bad as my old man!" he said angrily.

"But, Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man!"

Tidus snorted, "Well, not my Jecht. Just thinking about my old man gets me angry."

"Don't make fun of me, but I'm at a loss right now," Shikamaru said through a yawn.

"And to think that you're the genius of our class," Tenten teased.

Everyone walked in the temple. For Tidus, Naruto, Sakura, and Team Gai, the temple looked very similar to Besaid's temple.

Wakka walked up to a great statue of a man and started to pray. "Lord Ohalland, guide our feet," he said.

The door that lead to the Cloister of Trials opened, and a scantily-clad woman with a muscular man came out. They walked down the stairs and stopped at the group. The woman looked up and down at Yuna.

"A summoner, are you?" her tone was husky, and snobby.

"My name is Yuna-from the Isle of Besaid," she introduced her self.

"Dona." She put a hand on her hip. "So, you're High Summoner Braska's daughter. That's quite a name to live up to." She glanced over at Tidus and the others. "My, my, my..." She began, "And all these people are your guardians? My, what a rabble! As I recall, Lord Braska had only two guardians. Quality over quantity, my dear. Whatever were you thinking?"

Sakura and Tenten glared at Dona. "Who does she think she is?" Sakura scoffed. Tenten nodded in agreement.

Dona turned to look at the man beside her. "I have need of only one guardian. Right, Barthello?"

Barthello nodded. Kimahri steps forward and faces him. The two began sizing each other up.

Yuna's face remained calm. "I only have as many guardians as there are people I can trust," she said, "I trust them all with my life! To have so many guardians is a joy, and an honor!" Even more so than being my father's daughter." Dona looked at her in surprise.

"Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways, either," she quickly added, "So, Lady Dona, I ask of you: please leave us in peace."

Dona waved her hand at her. "You do what you want. Barthello, we're leaving."

Yuna sighed as they left. She looked at Tidus and smiled before she, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri walked towards the doors that led to Kilika's Cloister of Trials. Tidus went after them, but stopped as he notice the Leaf shinobi not following. "You guys coming?"

They looked at each other.

"We're not really guardians," Neji explained, "We'll just wait here for you guys."

Tidus shrugged and continued up the staircase.

"A guardian is someone a summoner can rely on. Someone she can trust with her life," Lee mused, "Does that mean Lady Yuna trusts _us_ with her life?"

"It seems that way," Sakura nodded.

"Would any of you like to fill me in on what I've missed?" Shikamaru said as he sat down.

"You don't know anything?" Naruto scoffed as he too, sat down. Sakura, Neji, Tenten, and Lee also followed suit.

Shikamaru put his hands up in defense. "Hey, when I came here I hid from everything. All I know is that we aren't anywhere remotely close to a ninja village."

They saw Dona and Bartello come back. She looked at the group. "Where's Yuna?"

"Where do you think?" Neji said in an annoyed tone.

"Aren't you her guardians?"

"Do you think we'd be here if we were?" Shikamaru asked in an equally irritated voice.

Dona narrowed her eyes at him before marching up the stairs, Bartello in tow. They disappeared through the doors. Seconds later, they reappeared. This time, a smirk adorned Dona's face.

Neji and Sakura started telling him what all had happened so far, as Naruto started dozing off. Tenten was gazing into the flames of a torch while Lee looked around absentmindedly.

"Maybe we should go in?" Tenten suggested after a short while.

"No we shouldn't," Neji said, knowing where this was going.

"I'm suspicious of what that Dona woman did. I mean she's already obtained her aeon. Why would she go back in?"

"Yeah, that was kinda strange," Sakura said. She and Tenten exchanged looks.

"C'mon Lee," Tenten said to her bushy-browed teammate while Sakura unceremoniously woke Naruto from his daze.

"Tenten," Neji said sharply.

"Seriously?" Shikamaru moaned.

"No one's making you go," Tenten said in a singsong voice. Neji sighed and stood up.

"Man, Neji? You're going too?" Shikamaru whined.

"The Cloister of Trials is one big puzzle. No doubt that they're going to need our help."

"I'm sorry. I thought you had just said _our_ help," Shikamaru said as he stood up.

"You thought right," Neji replied as he followed his fellow teammates up the stairs. Shikamaru groaned and reluctantly got up off the floor and followed Neji. The group rode the elevator down to the lower level and found Tidus passing back and forth.

"This is bad, really bad," he said to himself. He noticed Naruto and the others standing behind him. "Only guardians allowed, and I'm sure no guardian," he told them.

"What happened?" Sakura asked.

"Dona?" Tenten asked before he could answer.

Tidus nodded. He turned to the doors leading to the Cloister of Trials and scratched his head. "Well, I guess it's too late now."

They enter the Cloister of Trials. Shikamaru yawned as he observed the area.

"Hey Shikamaru, I have a question," Sakura began as they began the trial.

"Yeah?"

"Are you the only one here? I didn't see Ino-pig or Chouji with you," Sakura asked as they opened a passage to another room.

"Who are they?" Tidus whispered to Naruto.

"They're Shikamaru's teammates," he whispered back.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said as he observed the room. He noticed to spheres parallel to each other. He traced their power to the big flame that blocked them from the next room. "I landed here in…Kilika…but no one else was with me." He walked over to one of the spheres and took it out of the wall, motioning to Neji to the same to the other sphere.

As Neji took the sphere, the flames died away and granted them passage to the next room.

With Shikamaru's help, they continued the trial with ease. They all came to a room where Lulu, Kimahri, and Wakka waited. Inside the room, a song was heard. All the Leaf shinobi except Shikamaru recognized the melody from Besaid's temple.

Wakka quickly noticed the group. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he started freaking out.

"It was Dona and that big muscle head man!" Tidus defended himself.

"Yuna will be the one to suffer the consequences!" Lulu chided.

"What consequences?" Naruto asked.

"She could be excommunicated!" Wakka answered. He sighed after a moment. "Just wait."

Everyone was silent.

Tidus's curiosity got the best of him. "So, what's in there anyway?"

"The fayth, remember?" Wakka said.

"Oh yeah, that thing. Right."

"The fayth are people who gave their lives to battle Sin," Lulu explained, "Yevon took their souls, willingly given from their still-living bodies."

The Leaf shinobi turned to Neji for help, be he just shrugged his shoulders.

Tidus turned towards the black mage. "Huh?"

"Now they live forever, trapped in statues. But when a summoner beckons, the souls of the fayth emerge once again," Lulu continued, "That's what we call an aeon."

"All that in this room?" Lee wondered out loud.

"Seems like a lot of work," Shikamaru sighed, "What's this room called again?"

"The Chamber of Fayth," Tenten whispered to him.

"S-So what's Yuna doing in there?" Naruto asked.

Wakka looked to where Yuna was. "She prays with all her heart for a way to defeat Sin."

They heard a door open and saw Yuna exit from the chamber and fall on her knees. Lulu and Wakka ran to her side.

They all exited the temple. People immedietly surrounded Yuna. Team Gai, Sakura, and Shikamaru were waiting by Wakka and Lulu. Naruto noticed that Tidus had zoned out, and gently elbowed him. Yuna approached him.

"Are...are you okay?" she asked Tidus.

"I...I don't know."

"What do you want to do?"

Tidus thought for a moment. "To scream real loud."

Yuna giggled at his response.

Suddenly, Tidus let out a loud scream, startling Naruto who clutched his ears in pain. Everyone else turned at him with a confused look.

The trip back to the port was silent.

"Off to Luca at last!" Wakka said as they boarded the boat. "The matches start soon as we get there, so rest up on the way, ya?"

"Hopefully this one will be Sin-free, ya?" Naruto said.

"Careful Naruto, you're starting to sound like Wakka," Tidus teased the other blonde while Wakka made sounds of protest.

"Well if it isn't Ugly and Dickless-wonder," a familiar voice rang out.

Sakura cracked her knuckles while an ominous aura surrounded Naruto, stress marks appeared on both their foreheads.

**A/N** Soooo sorry this took me so long to update. Not only did I not have time, but I didn't have motivation, that was my fault, not you readers. Keep those reviews, or favorites coming please! I guess it's obvious who's next in the picture huh :D


	6. Off to Luca

**A/N:** I do not own Final Fantasy or Naruto.

NightFlowerLuv – thank you so much for reviewing! I only apologize that I didn't update sooner…and I mean SOONER. Final Fantasy X has become quite my obsession at the moment, so that's also motivating me to get this done. But you're review made me happy

BOBOBOBO – Aww, I'm sorry. But Sai _is_ part of Team Kakashi, and I will say that Sasuke won't be making an appearance in Spira. There are some others as well, but I don't want to spoil it for you. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

YamamotoRyu – Thanks for putting this story on your alert list!

XxheavendragonxX – Thanks for putting this on your favorite list!

**Chapter 6**

Sakura cracked her knuckles while an ominous aura surrounded Naruto; both bore stress marks on their foreheads.

"Sai." They both growled.

"Huh?" Tidus said as he looked at the guy who had made the comment.

Shikamaru sighed while Neji pinched the bridge of his nose. Tenten and Lee had worried looks on their faces as they saw the familiar guy who spoke.

"Who would've thought that I would be relieved to see your faces," Sai said as he walked over to the other shinobi. His eyes were slit, like a fox, as he smiled. "That was quite some stunt you pulled. I didn't realize you had any balls to do that, Naruto."

"Hey! Don't talk to Naruto like that!" Tidus defended his friend.

Sai looked at Tidus, observing him. "Are you a girl, or a guy?"

Tidus was speechless. This time, an ominous aura appeared around Sakura, while the aura around Naruto got even darker.

"Uh, Sai," Tenten warned.

But before the Root member could continue, he was tackled by his two teammates. But to his surprise, the tackle was not out of malice. Sakura had tears in her eyes while Naruto bore a grin as they both hugged him. Sai blinked.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Sakura cried.

"Now Team Kakashi is complete!" Naruto added, but then he thought for a moment. "Well, almost complete. We still have to find Kakashi-sensei."

Sai blinked again. "From the way you two are acting, is it because you care about me?" That earned him a slap on the head from Sakura.

"Of course we were worried about you, you idiot!" she yelled. Her eyes softened. "You're our teammate. You're part of our family."

Sai only looked at her with mild surprise, before they too, softened. As the trio got up, Yuna and her guardians approached them. Apparently the small commotion had caught their attention.

"We were worried when you didn't follow us into the boat," Wakka explained.

"Oh, another friend of yours?" Yuna asked as she noticed Sai.

"Lady Yuna, this is Sai. He's my and Naruto's teammate," Sakura introduced. She said in a quieter tone, "You'll have to excuse his behavior. He hasn't quite grasped the concept of being social."

Yuna's mouth made a small "o" as Sai walked up to her. Her green and blue eyes matched up with his dark ones. She looked at him curiously.

"What interesting eyes you have," Sai commented.

"Oh."

"They're very beautiful. Normally I would think that someone with two different colored eyes would look ugly, but in your case, it fits you."

"Oh, thank you, I think," Yuna said with some uncertainty. How was she supposed to respond to that?

"I saw you dancing earlier, yesterday at dusk. Perhaps you'd let me make a sketch of you sometime," Sai suggested.

"I hate to interrupt, but the boat is about to leave soon," Lulu said, "You can continue to talk when we've boarded."

Yuna's face turned a pretty pink as she apologized to Lulu before hastily making her way back on the boat, Kimahri following her. Lulu sighed before she, Wakka, and Tidus walked onto the boat.

The shinobi made their way onto the boat.

"Say Shikamaru, didn't you say that no one else was in Kilika?" Naruto asked after a moment.

All eyes were on the lazy genius.

"It's true. I didn't know that anyone else was here," he said.

"But Sai was here," Neji pointed out.

"Alright, here's the deal," Shikamaru said, "The place where we first met up, that's the place I appeared at. I didn't move from that spot until that battle with the Sinspawn."

"What's a Sinspawn?" Sai asked.

"We'll fill you in later," Sakura told him.

"So where did you appear Sai?" Naruto asked as they all walked onto the boat. He saw Tidus standing next to Wakka and Lulu while Yuna was being surrounded by the Luca Goers, Kimahri faithfully by her side.

"If you were by the Temple, then where were you Sai?" Lee asked.

"I was in the village," Sai said, "Until that big creature came and destroyed it."

"You saw Sin?" Sakura cried. She turned red as people turned towards her. "Were you hurt?" she asked in a quieter voice. She quickly looked him over, her medical side taking over.

Sai smiled at his pink-haired teammate. "No. I tried to help out as many people as I could, but…" he trailed off, his eyes becoming serious.

"What _is_ that thing?"

They all paused as the boat left the dock. Yuna walked to the railing and started waving to all the Kilika people. Like in Besaid, some people bore solemn faces, some crying, while others had faces filled with hope.

"That creature is called Sin," Neji explained, "It is the terror of all Spira, the world we have been transported to. Sinspawns are fiends that are left in its wake, and Sin always comes back for them."

Sai nodded. "And who or what are summoners?"

"Summoners are people who have the power to defeat Sin, " Neji continued, "They fight Sin using creatures known as aeons, who are the spirits of people who gave their lives in order to aid summoners. Summoners must make a journey to Zanarkand, a place that was destroyed one thousand years ago, in order to obtain the Final Aeon. The only thing that can truly defeat Sin."

"You talk as if Sin has been defeated before," Sai noted.

"It has, many times" Tenten cut in, "When Sin is defeated, there is a moment of time called The Calm. It's the only peaceful time where Spira is not plagued by Sin. But Sin always comes back."

Sai's eyes widened. "Why?"

"We do not know ourselves," Lee answered, "But Wakka has said that it is because the people of Spira have not been repented enough. Apparently Sin is a reminder for all of their sins."

"Hence the name Sin," Sai commented, "And pray tell, what sins have the people of Spira committed to deserve such punishment?

"Machina," a voice answered. They all turned around to find Wakka standing with his arms crossed. Lulu also walked over to the group with Tidus behind her.

"I never told you how Zanarkand became the ruins it is," he said.

Neji opened his mouth to protest but Lulu cut him off. "It's true that Sin destroyed Zanarkand, but we never told you why Sin was created." She walked over to the group.

"Before Sin was created, a war between two great machine cities broke out. The great machina city that never slept, Zanarkand, and the powerful military-machina city, Bevelle, the heart of Spira. The war raged on forever, and it seemed like it would never end. Many people, summoners and civilians, died during the war."

"Machina?" Sai asked.

"Machines," Shikamaru answered.

"How long did the war last?" Sai asked Lulu

"About a thousand years. But it took another thousand years before Sin destroyed Zanarkand," Lulu answered.

Sakura gasped as the rest of the Leaf shinobi looked in awe. She and Tenten exchanged looks. How could a war go on for a thousand years? Was that even possible? Sure, even the Shinobi wars were long, but not a thousand years. Not even close. Neji had his eyes narrowed, mulling over the information.

"What a drag," Shikamaru murmured to himself, "I can't even imagine the work that had to be put into it to make it last a thousand years."

"Yevon forbids us from using machina, because of its destructive nature," Lulu said.

"Yeah, and Sin's our reminder of it. Until we've repented, Sin will just keep coming back, ya?" Wakka added, "If you ask me, it's all because of those Al Bhed. They're nothing but trouble."

At the word Al Bhed Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but Sakura quickly shut him up with a look.

"So Sin keeps coming back because of these machines?" Sai asked.

Wakka nodded. Sai thought for a moment.

"Are you _sure_?"

Wakka narrowed his eyes at Sai, who looked back at him with calm eyes. "Hmph. Sure as ever," Wakka said as went over to the Aurochs. Sai looked after him with emotionless eyes.

"What are Al Bheds?" he asked Lulu.

"People whom Spira considers them heathens, because they choose to ignore Yevon's teachings by using machina. It's not really hard to tell them apart, they're usually blonde-haired people with green eyes. They have spiral pupils."

"And they speak their own language," Tidus added before deciding to go over to Wakka and the Aurochs. Sai was silent.

"Well, if you don't have anymore questions, I'm going to go sit down somewhere," Lulu said before she walked away.

Sai became quiet as he started processing all the information that was given.

"Hey Neji, you never did explain to me what fiends were," Shikamaru said to the Hyuuga boy.

"Fiends are the spirits of people that have manifested themselves into monsters. When people die, usually before their time, some of them refuse to believe that they've died, and they begin to hate the living," Neji explained as Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Summoners are the only people who can send people's souls to the Farplane where they may rest in peace."

"Farplane?"

Neji shrugged.

"People who turn into monsters when they're killed. Man, I can't even imagine what our villages would be like if we had that," Shikamaru said as he looked up at the sky. "What kind of world are we in?"

######

The blue sky turned a myriad of orange, pink, and lavender, before become a dark navy blue color with sparkling white dots. It was night time. All of the Leaf Shinobi were down below, sleeping. Yuna was out on the deck surrounded by the Luca Goers, again.

Tidus came out onto the deck and saw Yuna giggle at something Bickson said. He walked over to them. "What are you all talking about?"

Bickson raised an eyebrow, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Ah, I remember him. Guy from Kilika," The blonde haired man answered. He was the guy that was flanking Bickson back at the temple.

Bickson turned to his teammate. "Hmm? What was that Graav?"

"You know, one of the Besaid Aurochs. Said somethin' about winning the cup."

Bickson's eyes widened. "Oh, right. You're that idiot."

"Don't call him that!" Yuna chided.

"But he is an idiot," Bickson repeated, "They don't got what it takes to win the cup."

Tidus snorted. "Well, they do now that I'm here!"

Yuna nodded in agreement. "Yes, they will win! He used to be the star player of the Zanarkand Abes!"

Graav laughed, "Yeah, as if anyone lived in those ruins."

Yuna shook her head and pouted. "It's not ruins, there's a big city there! There is!"

Everyone stared at her.

Tidus tried to cover for her. "I got too close to Sin and-"

"There is a city, really!" Yuna persisted. She turned her back on the Goers.

"Right," Bickson said slowly, "Whatever your Ladyship says."

They walked away as Tidus approached her. "What's wrong?" he asked her, "You seemed kinda mad back there."

Yuna shook her head, "They were being rude and...I do believe your Zanarkand exists. I really do, you know!"

Tidus was taken aback. "How come?"

Yuna turned to look at him. "Sir Jecht used to always tell me stories. It'd be great to see your home someday." She looked up at the sky. "I'd love to go there."

Tidus looked up at the sky as well. "Yeah," he agreed. He bid Yuna good night before making his way below. He stopped himself as he heard voices coming from the level above. It was Wakka and Lulu.

"Well? Say something," Lulu said, "You'll take responsibility?"

"Relax! He's bound to know someone in Luca," Wakka reassured her.

"And if not?"

Wakka scratched his head. "He could always join a blitz team. Anyhow, it's better than just leaving him in Besaid!"

Tidus frowned.

"What? Just leaving him in Luca?" Lulu said, appalled.

Wakka frowned. "What do you want me to do?" He was starting to get irritated.

"Yuna wants to make him a guardian." 

Realization dawned on Wakka. "Oh yeah, geez...there's that too, eh?" 

"And whose fault is that?" 

"Not mine!"

They sat in silence. 

"It _is_ mine, huh?" Wakka sighed after a while, "Why do you think she wants to make him a guardian, anyway?"

"Because he's Sir Jecht's son," Lulu answered.

"Oh, right." Wakka suddenly jumped. "Wait, you sure 'bout that? He's really Sir Jecht's son?" 

Lulu shook her head. "It's hard to say, but Yuna seems to believe so."

"Okay."

Lulu looked insulted. ""Okay?" "Okay?" That's all you have to say?"

Wakka scratched his head again. "Well, yeah, I mean...he's gotta decide for himself, ya? Well, him and Yuna, I guess."

Lulu slowly nodded her head and looked out at the vast ocean. "You're right, for once."

Wakka smirked. "Ahem!" he coughed knowingly.

Lulu tilted her head. "I wonder which is best…why don't you tell him he should?"

"Should what?"

"Become Yuna's guardian." 

"Why me?"

"Because Yuna can't." 

"Why not?"

Lulu sighed. "He hates his father-what he was, what he did. Do you really think she can possibly say to him…"I want you to be my guardian, like your father was to mine?""

Wakka peered up at Lulu, "Aren't you being over-sensitive?" She glared at him. "All right, all right. I'll try talking to him after the tournament," he gave in.

Lulu nodded in satisfaction. "Be discreet."

"I know. It's his decision." 

Silence filled the air once again. Tidus was about to head down below until Wakka began talking again.

"He doesn't like his father?" Wakka asked.

"Apparently. He told Yuna as much."

Wakka looked up thoughtfully. "Hating your own father, huh? Sounds like a luxury to me. I don't even remember my parents. Can't say how I feel about 'em."

Lulu nodded absentmindedly. "I...I was five then, so I remember mine a little."

Wakka punched the ground. "Dammit!" Lulu looked at him with surprise.  
>"Sin just takes everything away from us," he rasped out.<p>

Tidus decided that he wasn't tired anymore, and went back out onto the open deck. Yuna was still on the deck, watching the ocean. A soft breeze rustled her chestnut brown hair. He noticed a lone blitzball on the ground and a flashback of his dad doing a peculiar shot hit him. 

Tidus walked over to the ball, determined to execute the move. After successfully doing it, he chuckled.

"The best? Yeah right!"

He turned around to find the Aurochs looking at him in awe.

Wakka quickly made his way over to Tidus. "Whoa! What's that called?"

Tidus shrugged, "Doesn't have a name. Anyone can do it if they try."

Wakka nodded. "Show us one more time, ya?"

Tidus prepared to do it again, and the Aurochs stepped aside. Tidus looked back to where Yuna was; she waved at him. Tidus executed the move, kicking the ball away from the boat. The Aurochs ran towards the end of the boat as they tried to see how far the ball went.

Tidus went over to Yuna. 

"That was the Jecht Shot, wasn't it?" she asked.

Tidus looked at her with surprise. "How do you know that?"

"Sir Jecht showed it to me when I was a child. He called it the "Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III"," she laughed as she tried to say the name.

"Stupid name, huh?" Tidus mumbled. "You know what? There is no Mark I or Mark II, you know? My old man said the name Mark III was just something to hook the crowd. He said they'd come back every night expecting to see Mark I and Mark II." His shoulders slumped. "And, they really did come back. I used to get so mad."

Yuna giggled as Tidus hung his head. Silence filled the air.

"Is he alive, you think?" Tidus asked her.

Yuna shook her head. "I don't know. But, Sir Jecht was my father's guardian."

Tidus snorted, "So he's famous here, too?"

"Yes. So if anything happened to him, I should think word would get around fast," she said.

"Uh-huh."

"What would you do if you found him?" Yuna asked him.

Tidus shrugged, "Who knows? I thought he died ten years ago." He thought for a moment. "Well...I'd probably just smack him one," he said as he punched the air. "After everything he put Mom and me through. And because he was famous, I was always...well, you should know, Yuna." She looked at him. "Your father's famous, too. Everyone in Spira knows him, right? Ain't it tough?"

Yuna nodded. "It is hard to follow in his footsteps as a summoner." 

"Sure."

"But the honor of having a father like him surpasses all that, I think," she quickly added.

Tidus snorted again. "Well, there wasn't much to honor about my old man, that's for sure."

Yuna looked at him in surprise. "You shouldn't say that about your father!" she scolded.

Tidus frowned. "I got the right!"

Yuna bowed her head in a small apology. "I guess you do."

A blitzball hit Tidus in the head. Determined to find the culprit, he turned to see Wakka and the Aurochs. 

"Show me that move again!" Wakka called out. Tidus reluctantly walked over to Wakka, preparing the move again.

Yuna looked after him, before returning her gaze to the sea. Unbeknownst to her, pair of dark curious eyes was watching her from the shadows. Another pair, blue, was also watching, followed by jade green.

"Wow," Sakura said in a soft voice. "He must really hate his father. I wonder what he's done for him to hate him so much."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "I've give anything to have my parents with me."

"Tidus said that his father put him and his mother through a lot," Sai said, "I read somewhere that the bond between a child and its mother is very strong. That to me would explain it." He turned his gaze back to Yuna. "Who is she again?"

"A summoner," Sakura said.

"No, I know that. What's her name?"

"Her name is Yuna," Naruto answered, "And the lady dressed in black is Lulu, the guy with the orange hair is Wakka, and the weird blue lion man is Kimahri. All three of them are Yuna's guardians."

They watched as Kimahri called out to her, wanting her to get some rest.

"And the other blonde-haired man?'

"The guy you asked if he was a girl or a boy?" Sakura asked dryly, "That's Tidus. I think he's a guardian…"

"And this…Jecht-guy…is his father. Yuna said that Jecht was her father's guardian?" Sai asked.

"Yeah. Lord Braska. He defeated Sin ten years ago," Sakura explained, "He became a High Summoner, someone who has defeated Sin, and Yuna is following in his footsteps."

"It's weird," Naruto interrupted, "If this Jecht-guy is Tidus's father, then why didn't I see him in Zanarkand?"

"You were at the ruins?" Sai asked.

"No, I…it's difficult to explained" Naruto sighed. Sai looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "I met Tidus in Zanarkand…the Zanarkand before it was destroyed by Sin. Sin brought me to this unknown island where I caught up with Sakura, and then took both of us to Besaid where we met up with Neji and his team."

"You were in Zanarkand _before_ Sin destroyed it?" Sai asked with wide eyes. His eyes then became serious. "So, not only were you transported to a different world, but you travelled through time as well?"

"I guess…" Naruto said. He was trying to wrap his head around it as well. "Do you think…that we'll find Kakashi-sensei and everyone else in Luca?" he asked after a moment.

Sai put a finger to his chin.

"We've already found Neji and his team, Shikamaru, and Sai," Sakura started, "I'm not sure who else has been transported, but it's clear that some of us have been."

"And who knows, maybe everyone is in Luca," they heard Tenten's voice in the air. They looked to see her with Neji, Lee, and Shikamaru. "With what Wakka has explained to us, Luca is a very big city with a lot of people."

Shikamaru yawned. "Well, if you guys are done, can we go back to sleep?"

Neji nodded in agreement. "We've got a big day ahead of us. We need to be in our best health if we're to find anyone tomorrow. We'll also be parting ways with Yuna and her guardians, so best get as much rest as you can while you have the time."

Naruto looked at Sakura and Sai, who both nodded. The trio got up, and all the Leaf shinobi disappeared below the deck.

**A/N:** Wow, two updates back to back ^_^ Are you guys curious to see who's gonna be in Luca? Well…I am too XD I can't quite figured out who's going to be in Luca yet. But I will tell you that there's going to be some Konoha scenes in the next chapter…I think. Anyway, don't forget to review or add this to your favorite/alert list!


	7. Luca: Maesters, Friends, and Fiends?

**A/N:** I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy.

BOBOBOBO__– I must thank you for being such an avid reviewer! You certainly are keeping me motivated. I must agree, X is definitely my most favorite FF game. VII is up there too, but I think the storyline from X is better. It certainly easier to follow in my opinion.

Generalhyna – Thanks for putting this story on your Favorite Story list! :)

Sir Godot – thanks for the review and the favorite list! I agree, It _will_ get clunky if I do that, but I'm not. Don't worry :) I know that even attempting to have everyone there will be a disaster, and poor Yuna will get Closterphobic :P

**Chapter 7**

"Naruto! Wake up, you gotta see this!" Sakura shook her spikey blonde-haired teammate.

"Mmm…more beef in my ramen please…" Naruto mumbled. A stress mark appeared on Sakura's forehead.

"Hey! Wake up you idiot!"

Naruto shot straight up. "Huh? What! Is Sin attacking us again!" Naruto shouted. He looked up at Sakura who was frowning. "Oh, hey Sakura. What's up?"

Her frown melted into a smile as she grabbed him by the arms and pulled him out of bed.

"Woah! Hey, slow down, Sakura!"

She took him onto the deck where everyone else was. Tidus was standing on the bow of boat with a hand holding onto a rope that was connected to the sails. He was looking over at the city they had arrived at. People were everywhere, and there was a huge sphere that looked like it was made of water.

Naruto's eyes widened as he took in the site. Boats everywhere were pulling into docks. The voice of two announcers were heard as the group's own boat pulled into a dock.

"Ah, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number 2. All the way from Kilika, it's the Kilika Beasts!"

Naruto watched a team dressed in green and yellow stand in front of the railing. They waved at the crowd, who cheered in response.

"High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them-a big name to live up to. Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin. Isn't that right, Jimma?"

"Yes, Bobba. They're going to be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year."

"Exciting, isn't it, folks? Our next team off the ramp is..." 

The Leaf shinobi watched as Tidus, Wakka, and the Aurochs came off the boat.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! They're a living, breathing, statistical impossibility! I've never seen a team this bad!" 

"That's right! In twenty-three years they've never made it past the first round! Only a few die-hard fans are in the audience today."

"Best of lucky to them, and a safe journey back to Besaid."

"What the heck man?" Naruto ranted as the Lead shinobi left the boat.

Wakka turned around to face him. He scratched the back of his neck. "Well…it _is_ true. We haven't one a single game in a long time." He lowered his hand, determination filling his eyes. "But that will change this year? We gonna win the tournament, ya?" 

"Yosh!" Lee cried as fire filled his eyes, "With the power of youth, the Aurochs will definitely win!"

Everyone looked at the green-spandex wearing ninja, confusion on their faces. Tenten sighed at her teammate's antics while Neji just crossed his arms, wishing he wasn't there.

"Right, Jimma. Moving right along, our next team is...here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers!" the announcers continued.

The Luca Goers exited the boat, and the crowd went wild. Naruto snorted as the Goers soaked up the attention.

"They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all-around first-class team! And they're back home in Luca!"

"Without a doubt, they are the favorite this year, Bobba. And after the way they dominated last year, it'd take a miracle for them to lose today."

"You can say that again, Jimma. Look at the crowd, folks! Look at the crowd! Looks like all of Luca has turned out to cheer the Goers on! They know, I know, and you know, folks! The Luca Goers are number one!"

Tidus clenched his fists in annoyance. Wakka noticed. "It's like this every year, ya? Don't let it bother you," he said to him.

But instead, Tidus grabbed a megaphone and climbed onto a box.

"Stop right there, Goers!"

The Goers and everyone else went silent and turned to look at Tidus.

"You guys are smilin' now, but not for long! Cause this year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!"

The Leaf shinobi sweatdropped as the crowd and Goers ignored him. Lulu, Kimahri, and Yuna walked over to Tidus.

"What in Yevon's name were you doing up there?" Wakka gasped.

"We sure stood out, though!" one of the Aurochs, Datto, said.

"We were on the sphere!" another Aurochs player, Letty, added.

Datto turned to his teammate. "We were?" 

Before he could answer three people ran past them, nearly running into the shinobi.

"Hey!" Sakura cried as she dodged a person.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Naruto shouted after them. More people came running, and started shouting things.

"Maester Mika is here!"

"Already?"

"The number 3 dock!"

Tidus climbed down the box. "What's up now?" He turned to Yuna for some answers as the Leaf shinobi came over to the group.

"Maester Mika has arrived, that's what!" Yuna answered excitedly.

Tidus wrinkled his brow. "Mika? Maester?"

Lulu turned to Tidus. "Maester Mika is the leader of all the people of Spira. He's come all the way from Bevelle. The tournament is being held to honor his fifty years as maester."

Naruto scratched his head. "Fifty years? Shouldn't he be, uh, retired by now?"

Wakka immedietly rounded on the poor boy. "Hey! Mind your mouth, now."

Yuna nodded. "Let's all go see him!" She looked at the Leaf shinobi. "I know that you want to search for your friends, but I think it may be in your best interest to see Maester Mika."

Everyone looked at Neji with hope. Feeling the eyes of his comrades on him, he gave in and sighed, before giving his nod of approval. To be honest, all of the Leaf shinobi wanted to stay with Yuna on her pilgrimages, well, save for Shikamaru of course. He just wanted to take a nap. They all ran to meet Mika, and saw crowds of people blocking their sight.

Tidus tried to look over people's heads. "Can't see a thing!" he whined.

Wakka put a finger to his mouth. "Shhhh!"

"Neji," Sai asked, "Is a maester an equivalent to a Hokage?"

Neji thought for a moment. "I think, to some extent, yes. But this, Maester Mika, seems to be the head maester of them all. He could be considered a Daimyo, in our culture, except there's only one here."

The group heard loud joyous music. They saw three weird creatures as the source. One creature was big, and was drumming on his stomach. Another one looked like a hawk, and he was playing an instrument that looked like a harp. And the last creature was small, and was blowing on a golden instrument that sounded similar to a flute.

Finally, several people got off the boat; the first was a man with strange blue hair. He was dressed in maester robes that were opened in the front showing off two black tattoos.

"That's a Guado, right?" a guy asked his friend.

"Who could it be?" a woman asked.

"Isn't that…Maester Seymour?" another man said.

"Another maester?" Lee said as he looked on with interest.

"What's a…gu-wa-doe?" Naruto asked Wakka who only shushed him.

The blue-haired guado turned back to face the boat. He kneeled, before doing the prayer gesture. Everyone in the crowd, except for Tidus and the Leaf shinobi, do it as well. An old and frail man dressed in elegant robes stepped out. He stopped before Seymour. 

"That's Maester Mika," Yuna whispered to the Leaf shinobi.

"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome," the old man said. He turned to Seymour. "Rise, Maester Seymour. And all of you as well. I present to you...the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has been officially ordained a maester of Yevon."

Sai observed Maester Seymour as he stood up and turned around. Sakura gasped at the visible blue veins on his forehead.

"I am Seymour Guado. I am honored to receive the title of maester," the guado's voice was smooth as silk, "In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to carry on his legacy, and to fulfill my duties as maester to the best of my abilities."

Everyone bowed his or her head in respect. The Leaf shinobi did too upon the realization that they would stick if they didn't. Tidus, however, didn't feel the need to. Wakka elbowed him.

"You, too! Bow your head!" he hissed at Tidus.

Maester Mika and his associates turned to leave as Seymour quickly scanned the crowed. His eyes fell upon Yuna, who froze upon eye contact with the maester. As Seymour gave her a gentle smile, Yuna turned her face from embarrassment. This went unnoticed by Tidus and Naruto. Seymour and the rest of the people form Bevelle left the docks.

"Really psyches you up, ya?" Wakka asked after they left, "All right! Last meeting before the match! Hustle!"

Wakka beckoned Tidus and the Aurochs to follow him, leaving Yuna, Lulu, Kimahri, and the Leaf shinobi behind.

"So who are the guado?" Sai asked.

"The guado are Spira's protectors of the afterlife, the Farplane, and Macalania Woods," Lulu explained, "They are a race that lives amongst the trees. Maester Seymour is half guado, and half human. His father married a human in an attempt to reunite the two races."

Yuna nodded. "It's such a shame that Lord Jyscal has passed. His death was so sudden."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Hmph. Maester or not, I don't like that Seymour guy."

"Naruto," Neji scolded.

"I understand where you're coming from, Naruto," Tenten said as she rubbed her hands on her arms, "It's not that I don't like Maester Seymour. But he doesn't exactly give off the warmest feelings."

They stood in silence.

"Well, we must thank you for your hospitality," Neji told Yuna and Lulu. He gave them a small bow.

"Do you have to go so soon?" Yuna asked him. Neji looked her in the eyes. They were filled with sadness. Neji felt a pull in his chest.

All the Leaf shinobi were sad that they had to leave. Even Sai had a look of genuine sadness.

"I apologize, but we really must find our friends," Neji explained, "You must understand that we aren't from here. From Spira, I mean."

Yuna cocked her head while Lulu looked at him with interest.

"What do you mean? Are you from Zanarkand, too?" Yuna asked. Neji shook his head.

"Sin came to our homeland. Literally ripped a hole in the sky," Shikamaru said lazily, "and transported some of us here to Spira."

Naruto nodded. "We need to find them so that we can find a way back home," he said.

"And quick," Sakura blurted out. Everyone looked at her. She blushed. "I mean, they're perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. But…we're not used to enemies like fiends…and…all those things."

"Not to mention the fact that we need to figure out how Sin was able to get there in the first place," Tenten said.

Yuna looked at the ground. "I see," she said sadly, "Well, I hope that…you will find a way back to your home. Wherever it may be."

"Why do you sound so sad?" Naruto asked. He received a glare from Sakura and Tenten while Neji and Shikamaru gave him a look.

Yuna looked up at him, startled, before turning her gaze back to the ground. "Oh…well…it's just," she sighed, "I felt so comfortable and happy with you all beside me. I was hoping that…you would…become my guardians. All of you."

The Leaf shinobi looked at each other in surprise. They had just met the girl, and yet she was willing to have them as her guardians.

"But…it's okay," Yuna said, the sadness gone from her voice, "I know, that you all have your own pilgrimage to make."

"If it weren't for the fact that we had to find our friends, we would've loved being your guardians," Naruto said to her with a smile. "And besides, this isn't really good bye. We'll see each other again sometime in the future. Believe it!"

Yuna gave a small smile. Then, her whole face lit up. "Well, before you officially leave, you should at least stay for the one game," she said to them. She looked at their faces. "You haven't been to a blitzball game before. I think the Aurochs are playing in the first match."

The Leaf shinobi all looked at each other. "We'll think about it," Neji said with a smile.

Yuna smiled back before turning to walk away, Lulu and Kimahri following her. "I wish you luck on your journey," she said and walked off.

Sakura, Naruto, Sai, Lee, and Tenten all waved goodbye while Shikamaru stood with his arms crossed. Neji had a small smile on his face as he watched the summoner and her guardians leave.

"You know, I was really digging this whole guardian thing," Sakura said after a moment.

"Yeah, me too. Too bad we can't be guardians," Naruto said as Tenten nodded her head sadly.

"It would have increased Yuna's chances of defeating Sin," Sai said after a thought, "After all, Lady Yuna isn't the only summoner out there making that pilgrimage."

"Oh yeah. That Dona-lady was also a summoner," Tenten said, "But she only had _one_ guardian. You think she'll make it?"

"Doubt it," Sakura said, "What if something were to happen to him? Then what? I'm glad Yuna has at least two guardians. But…I will admit, being a guardian doesn't sound so bad."

"Troublesome. It would've just meant more work," Shikamaru said as he stretched.

Sakura gently poked him. "Aw c'mon, you know you enjoyed it too, Shikamaru," she teased. Shikamaru just chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

Neji turned to the group. "Let's start searching. There are lots of people here, and if we want to make any progress, we should start now," he said, "Let's split up. Lee, you and Tenten will be with me. Shikamaru, go with Naruto and his team."

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

"We'll meet back here at the docks in an hour. Alright?" Neji ordered.

Everyone nodded before sprinting away.

######

The Aurochs stood in the locker room. Tidus and Wakka weren't with them. They all turned as they heard the door open, hope filling their eyes. Seeing as it was only Tidus, they all hung their heads.

"Where's Wakka?" Tidus asked as he looked around

"At the match-up draws," Datto said.

"We had to play the Goers in the first match last year," Letty explained.

"The year before that, and the one before that, too!" Jassu added.

"Well, we would've lost to anyone anyway," Keepa sad in a sad tone.

The door opened and Wakka walked in. They all sprung to their feet.

"Cap'n Wakka!"

"We're playin' the Al Bhed Psyches first. If we win, we're in the finals!" Wakka said, "That's right, we got seeded! Two wins and we're the champions!" 

The team cheered.

"First things first. Let's go over the basics again, boys."

Tidus found himself falling asleep as Wakka explained some game plans. He sat up as the door opened, Yuna and Lulu walking in. Yuna walked up to him.

"There you are!" she said, "Someone said they saw Sir Auron in a café!"

Tidus's eyes widened, "Au-Auron?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes, Sir Auron! Let's go find him!"

Yuna walked back to the door. Tidus was about to follow when he heard Wakka shout at him.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! The game starts like real soon!" He saw a pleading look in Yuna's eyes. "C-Come back quick, ya?"

Tidus punched his fist in the air. "Hey, I'll be back."

Wakka scratched his head. "Yeah, okay."

Tidus looked at Wakka funny. "Hey, Wakka. You're stiff, man." Wakka put his hands to his face. "No, no, not your face. Just breathe out, relax. Like this. Just breathe, yeah!"

Yuna giggled as Lulu shook her head. Yuna headed out the door, Tidus following. They were met by Kimahri who was guarding the door.

"Maybe now we can find Sir Jecht," Yuna told Tidus.

"Huh? How?"

"Sir Auron was also my father's guardian," she explained, "So, he might know where Sir Jecht is. Let's go now!" She ran off, Kimahri following her.

Tidus made a move to follow until he spotted two Al Bhed Psyches.

"Y myto **summoner**!" ("A lady summoner!") one of them said.

"Fa sicd nabund." ("We must report.") the other replied.

"Hey!"

They looked up at Tidus.

"Al Bhed Psyches, right?" Tidus asked, "Some Al Bhed saved me the other day, and…this girl Rikku gave me food…and..." He stopped talking. "Uh...you don't understand me, do you?" He was met with silence.

"Uh, anyway...if you meet Rikku, tell her thanks for me." He turned to leave. "Oh, and as for the first game? May the best team win!"

He left the locker room area. As he walked outside, he stretched. It was a beautiful day. Perfect day for blitzball. He saw Yuna standing not to far from him, Kimahri with her, and was surrounding by many people.

Yuna giggled before making his way over to Tidus. "I'm sorry, please let me through." She looked at Tidus. "Hey, let's go." They started walking.

"Hey uh, where did Naruto and his friends go?" Tidus asked, noticing that the other blonde-haired boy wasn't with them.

"Oh, they had to go find some friends of their own," Yuna explained, "But I have this feeling that…we'll meet up again sometime."

People kept greeting Yuna as they were walking.

"You're really famous," Tidus commented.

Yuna only laughed as they kept walking. Suddenly, she stopped. "I hope we don't get separated." She said in a sad voice.

"Yuna!"

She turned to Tidus, startled by his yell. She watched him put his fingers in his mouth and whistle.

"What was that?" she asked.

Tidus smirked. "In Zanarkand, we do this to cheer on blitz players." He whistled again. "You try it, too! Put your fingers in your mouth like this."

Yuna copied his movement. "Like...this?"

Tidus shook his head. "Uh-uh, not like that, like this." He showed her again. "Then, you just blow."

Yuna tries twice, but her blows were weak. The only sound that she made was the sound of air blowing.

"It's not working," she laughed.

"Practice!" Tidus encouraged her.

Yuna nodded her head. "Okay."

Tidus looked away from her. "Hey, use that if we get separated. Then I'll come running, okay?" He looked back at her. "Well, guess we should just stick together, then, till you can do it?"

Yuna nodded and smiled. "Yes, sir!"

They walked to a different part of Luca. It looked like a little courtyard with a tall statue in the middle.

"Whoa! This is a pretty big town!" Tidus observed.

Yuna nodded in agreement. "Luca is the second largest city in Spira."

"I thought every town was little-you know, like Besaid and Kilika."

"Towns don't usually get bigger than that," Yuna explained, "Because when a lot of people start to gather..."

Tidus knew what she was thinking. "Sin...?"

Yuna nodded.

"What about Luca? It's safe here?" Tidus asked.

"It's not any different, but the stadium is here," Yuna said, "The Crusaders fight to protect it with all their strength."

"They protect the stadium?"

"Blitzball's really the only entertainment that we have. Spira's a little short on fun these days."

Tidus eyes widened. "Whoa! Talk about pressure!"

"That's right!" Yuna agreed, "Is Zanarkand like this, too?"

Tidus thought for a moment. "Well, there are more buildings. All tall ones and cramped together."

Yuna nodded as she imagined what it would look like. "They must be so tall! Don't you ever get dizzy?" 

Tidus only laughed.

"Let's go find Sir Auron!"

They walked into the café where Auron was allegedly found, but they didn't see him. Tidus sighed in disappointment.

"Auron's not here," he sighed.

Yuna hummed before walking over to talk to some people as Kimahri entered the café. Suddenly, two larger Ronso beasts entered the café. They looked like Kimahri except they were light grey and dark grey instead of blue. They were also taller, bigger than Kimahri, and both of their horns were uncut.

"Why not talk, Kimahri? Not see Yenke for ten years! Say something!" the darker ronso taunted, "Kimahri forget Yenke? Forget Biran?"

"Leave Kimahri, Yenke. Kimahri is small Ronso," the other Ronso chimed, "Kimahri so small can't see Yenke and Biran's faces."

"Kimahri forget Ronso friends? We taught you much at time of horn-molt!" the dark Ronso said, getting angry, "Biran taught Kimahri to be strong Ronso."

"Maybe taught too much," the lighter Ronso added. He shoved Kimahri.

Tidus saw what was happening. "Take 'em on!" he encouraged.

None of them noticed a figure watching them with one eye. He had a small orange book out in front of him, making it look like he was reading. He put it away as Yuna approached him and began asking him if he had seen a figure dressed in red.

The darker Ronso laughed, and Kimahri gave him an uppercut, knocking him down. Everyone gasped.

"Take it outside! The tournament's starting, you hear?" the owner warned.

The darker Ronso punched Kimahri.

"The game!" Tidus gasped.

He looked at the TV where Maester Mika was speaking.

"Today, on this glorious day, players from all over Spira have assembled here...to participate on this great contest of bravery, skill, and strength."

The camera panned out, making Seymour visible.

"All of these fine teams, equally renowned, deserve to win the cup today. Such is the nature of this contest. Let us, the spectators, play our role accordingly. Let us sing to the glory of the winners, and applaud equally the valor of the defeated. Contestants, may Yevon be with you." He did the prayer gesture.

The spherical bowl for the blitzball tournament began to fill with water. The crowds in the stand continued to cheer as the ball gets filled.

Inside the bowl, the Aurochs took to their positions and waited for the game to begin. On the other side of the bowl, the Al Bhed Psyches got into position. The ball ejected into the air: Wakka and the Al Bhed Psyche player both reach for it.

Tidus quickly looked around him. Something was wrong. Then, he suddenly realized what was missing.

"Kimahri! Yuna's gone!"

Kimahri looked at Tidus and Biran punched him again. Kimahri started shaking with anger as he and Tidus run out of the café. They looked around outside as Lulu caught up with them.

"Where in Spira have you been!" she asked.

Tidus looked at her, confused. "Huh?"

"Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Psyches," the black mage explained, "In exchange for her safe return, they want the Aurochs to lose."

"What!"

"If they're only blitzball players, I doubt they'd do anything drastic," Lulu admitted, "But we shouldn't take chances. Let's go get her."

"I'm going too! This will be no problem!" Tidus told her, "They're telling the Aurochs to throw the game, as if they needed to! I mean, how good a team can they be?"

"Wakka said the same thing," Lulu agreed, "He'll take care of the game. We should go get Yuna. The Al Bhed boat is in dock 4."

"Let's go."

###### 

Four figures darted past people, going so fast that they only appeared as streaks.

"Where do we even begin looking?" Sakura cried, "This place is _huge_! I can't even sense someone else's chakra, if there _is_ anyone.

"Someone just _has _to be here," Naruto grounded out as he looked around.

"You two need to stop worrying," Shikamaru told the two, "You won't be able to concentrate if your nerves are all worked up."

"Hey, who do you think we'll find here?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, I don't know, Naruto," Sakura said in irritation, "No one, maybe."

They stopped for a moment, startling some bystanders by their sudden appearance.

"I wonder if Neji and his team are having any luck," Shikamaru sighed.

"Hey, isn't that Tidus and Yuna?" Sai asked as he pointed over to where the pair was. They had just walked into the café, Kimahri following them soon after.

Naruto and Sakura turned their hopeful faces to Shikamaru.

"No."

Their smiles fell.

"What! What not?" Naruto yelled.

Shikamaru sighed as he crossed his arms. "Neji ordered us to go find other shinobi, if there are any. Following them would only be wasting time," he explained, "Besides, if I remember correctly, Tidus and Yuna are out trying to find their own friend. We'd wasting her time as well."

"Then can we at least see who this friend of theirs is?" Sakura asked, walking towards the café, not giving Shikamaru a chance to answer. Naruto and Sai followed her, leaving Shikamaru alone.

"Man, this sucks," he sighed as he reluctantly followed the trio into the café.

They found Tidus with his head hung in disappointment as Yuna went around asking people.

"I don't think they've found who their looking for," Sai observed.

"Yeah, neither have we," Shikamaru added, "And we won't unless we go out and _look_."

"Yenke asks for little humans to move," they heard a deep, beastly voice boom behind them.

They all turned around and were startled by two huge beasts that looking similar to Kimahri.

"Hey, they kinda look like Kimahri," Naruto whispered to Sakura, "Think they're related?" Sakura quickly hushed him up.

"Uh right…of course. Sorry, man," Shikamaru apologized as he and the other way made way for the Ronso.

"Thank you," the lighter ronso replied as he and the other ronso walked past them.

"Okay, so the person's not here. Can we go now?" Shikamaru asked Naruto.

Sakura noticed the person Yuna was presently talking to. Because of where Yuna stood, She could only see one eye, nothing else. Funny, the man had silver hair as well. She watched as Yuna turned her head away from the man, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Hey, who do you think that guy is? The one Yuna's talking to?" Sakura asked.

The three boys tried to look for the summoner.

"Where?" Naruto asked.

Sakura pointed at Yuna, looking at Naruto, and then back to where Yuna was. "Over there. Do you see her?"

"We see Yuna, but what guy are you looking at? Shikamaru told her as he narrowed his eyes in an attempt to locate the guy.

"Don't you guys see—" Sakura stopped as she realized the guy who Yuna had been talking to was gone. "That's odd…."

"What's odd?" Sai asked.

"I could've sworn that the man Yuna was talking was Kakashi."

"_WHAT_?" Naruto yelled.

"Yuna's body was blocking his entire body. I only got a glimpse of his hair and part of his face. I mean the eye," Sakura explained.

"Was he wearing a mask?" Sai asked.

"I couldn't tell. Like I said, Yuna was blocking my view," Sakura said, "But I'm guessing that he paid a complement to her. She turned away with her cheeks red."

"Well, Kakashi-senpai _is_ known to be good with the ladies," Sai commented.

They noticed tension between Kimahri and the two Ronso they ran into earlier.

"What's going on with Kimahri and those two Ronso?" Sakura asked.

They watched as one of them punched Kimahri. Sakura gasped.

"Why I outta—"

Shikamaru held Naruto back. "Let them deal with their own problems, Naruto. Remember the last time you jumped in without thinking?"

Naruto immedietly relaxed, his head hung. "You're right. Let's go."

And the left. But if only they had stayed a bit longer, they would've heard Tidus say that Yuna was gone.

######

It had been an hour. The group made their way back to the docks where Team Gai was waiting for them. What surprised them, was the fact that there was not only one person wearing a green spandex suite….but _two_. That could only mean—

"Gai-sensei?"

Gai gave them a thumbs up, his mouth revealing his pearly whites. "The one and only Konoha's Sublime Beast of Prey!"

"Where did you guys find him?" Sakura asked.

Tenten smirked. "Neji saw his chakra network with his Byakugan," she replied, "Although, it was hard at first, there's no one in Spira who has a um…._fashion_ style like Gai-sensei…" Her nose wrinkled at the last statement.

Neji stepped up. "I'm to assume that you guys found no one?" He crossed his arms.

Shikamaru let out a huge sigh. "Not my fault. These two over here wanted to follow Yuna and Tidus in hopes of seeing this mysterious person. The guy who was a guardian of Yuna's father," he explained while pointing at Naruto and Sakura.

"Yuna and Tidus…" Gai repeated.

"Yuna's the summoner. We travelled with her group who took us here, remember?" Tenten reminded her sensei.

"Oh, that's right!"

Naruto turned to him. "So I'm guessing that they've filled you in?"

Gai put a finger to his chin and nodded. "As much information as they could. Actually, I have my own information I've heard." His eyes got serious. "Apparently these summoners have been disappearing. Vanished out of thin air."

"Disappearing?"

Sai frowned. "I hope Lady Yuna is safe…"

Just as he said that, the group saw Tidus, Lulu, and Kimahri running towards them.

"Heeeeeey!" Tidus called out. He started panting when he reached the group. "Yuna's…gone missing….kidnapped," he said between breaths.

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

The Leaf shinobi looked at Gai whose eyes narrowed. "As I thought," he murmured. Lulu looked at him. "Who are you?" she asked. Gai took one glance at her and immedietly was kneeling in front of her.

"Such beauty! Such youth!" he cried, "Mi'lady, I am Might Gai. Konoha's handsome Beast of Prey!" His eyes sparkled as he looked up at her. "And who might you be?"

Lulu stared at the man before turning her focus on Naruto and the others. "Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed. Their boat is at Dock 4. We need to hurry if we want to save her."

Naruto nodded. "Count me in!"

"Me too!" Sakura stepped up.

"Anything to help Lady Yuna," Sai said.

"YOSH! The power of youth shall prevail!" Lee cried as fire burned in his eyes, "Gai-sensei, you will help us?"

"Of course! The power of youth knows no boundaries!" he flashed his smiled.

Tenten smiled as Neji nodded.

Before anyone could move small machines started coming their way.

"What are those?" Naruto asked.

"Ancient machina salvaged by the Al Bhed," Lulu explained, "It seems we're expected." She quickly casted Thunder on a couple of machines which immedietly disabled them. "Take them out quickly, we have no time to lose!"

Tenten pulled out a couple scrolls, weapons immedietly appeared and shattered some of the machine. Sakura punched the ground, and the machina were crushed.

"Trigrams Palm Revolving Heaven!" Neji dispatched a good portion of machina.

Shikamaru used his shadow jutsu to hold them in place as Lulu picked them off one by one with her Thunder spells. Sai, Gai, and Kimahri took care of the rest that were left.

When the machina were all gone, Tidus noticed a crystal T.V. screen above them. The Blitzball game was tied 2-2.

"The Aurochs are keeping the score tied with some excellent defense, folks!" the announcer said.

They watched Wakka catch the ball and look around. 3 Al Bhed's converge on his position. One smashed into him; he dropped the ball.

"Ow! He'll feel that one in the morning!"

"But the referee doesn't call the foul! Wakka's taking a real beating out there."

Tidus punched his fist in the air. "Still in there!"

Lulu shook her head. "He won't last. Wakka's always like that."

"Ouch," Tidus cringed.

"Let's go," the black mage urged.

The group continued on the path to Dock 4. When they geo there, the boat was starting to leave.

"We jump," Shikamaru said.

They all run towards the boat and jump onto it. As they all landed on the baot, a large machina emerged from beneath the deck.

"What's that?" Tenten cried.

"One of the forbidden machina," Lulu answered. She raised her arm in the air, and casted a power Thundara spell.

Naruto looked around. "Hey…where's—"

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

A flash of green came out of nowhere and struck the machine, shaking it a little. Gai stood before them, posing. Lulu glared at the man with annoyance as Tidus just gaped at him. Neji closed his eyes and sighed while Tenten shook her head.

The machina whirled, as it got ready to attack. It turned towards Kimahri and shot a ball at the ronso with blinding speed. Fortunately, the blue ronso was able to dodge it just in time. Lulu kept a barrage of Thunder spells going as Leaf shinobi tried their best to weaken it. But taijutsu and Ninjutsu weren't enough for a machina.

The machina turned its attention on Lulu, and shot a ball out at her. Unfortunetly for Lulu, she got hit like a dart on a bulls eye. Lulu grunted as she was hit, and her eyes widened when she felt certain magic on her. A small ball of fog surrounded her mouth and she realized that Silence had been casted on her.

"What's wrong with Lulu?" Neji asked as he noticed the change in Lulu.

"Machina cast Silence. Lulu can not cast magic now," Kimahri replied as he speared the machina.

"What do we do?" Tenten said as she dodged a ball that came her way, "It seems like we didn't even make a dent in this thing!"

Tidus dug deep in his pocket, and pulled out what he was looking for. An echo screen. He tossed it over to Lulu and a semi translucent veil covered her and disappeared, the fog gone from her mouth. Tidus then looked around on the boat and spotted a crane right next to him.

"Hey, can we use this crane?" he asked out.

Lulu casted Thunder on it and the crane sputtered, but then went silent. "It seems to be out of electricity, nothing but a few Thunder spells can't cure." She kept a wary eye on the machina. "But I can't leave myself open."

"Then allow us to be your guardians for the time being mi'lady," Gai said as he walked in front her as if shielding her. His team did the same. Team 7 stood next to Kimahri, ready to back him up.

Tidus turned to Shikamaru and gave him a few echo screens. "In case she gets Silence casted on her again. Just throw these towards her," he explained. Shikamaru nodded before taking up a stance next to Tidus.

Tidus, Kimahri, Shikamaru, and Team 7 held the machina at bay while Lulu bombarded the crane with Thunder spells. Team Guy deflected any balls that were sent her way.

Finally, after one more Thunder spell, the crane roared to life. Tidus hurried over to the crane's control panel and pressed a couple buttons. The crane went over and picked the machina by it's huge part. As it was lifted in the air, the part broke off and the machina landed on the deck with a loud crash. Sparks erupted from the machine, signaling its demise as it then exploded.

The door leading down below opened and an Al Bhed stumbled out and fell to the ground, unconscious. Yuna came walking out, unharmed. She hurried over to Lulu who checked her over.

"I hope you hurt them," the black mage told the summoner.

Yuna nodded. "A little." She looked over at Gai, and then over at Naruto and his friends. "I see you've found another friend."

"Not just a friend Lady Yuna, but mine, Neji, and Tenten's teacher! This is Gai-sensei," Lee exclaimed.

Yuna walked over to Gai and smiled before giving a small bow. "A pleasure to meet you Sir Gai. I thank you for rescuing me."

Gai gave her the good-guy pose, his teeth shining. "No problem at all mi'lady. Nothing that the power of youth can overcome!"

Yuna giggled. "You sound a lot like Lee."

"It's more like the other way around," Naruto murmured as Sakura, Shikamaru, and Sai all nodded in agreement.

Lulu noticed Tidus looking around the boat. "What is it?" she asked.

Tidus scratched his head. "There were these Al Bhed that saved my life when I first came to Spira. They took me on their ship, even gave me food. I was kinda hoping this was the same ship, but it's not. I wonder if they're all gone."

"Yeah, now that you mentioned it, it _does_ kinda look like that ship," Sakura said as she put a finger to her chin.

"What happened?" Yuna asked.

"Sin came up near us. We made it out okay, but we don't know what happened to their ship."

Yuna held her hands in front of her shyly. "Um, was there anyone called Cid on that ship?"

"I don't know. They were all speaking that Al Bhed language," Tidus replied.

Team Gai began to tell their teacher of the Al Bhed race at his confused look.

"No, no one named Cid on the ship," Sakura recalled. 

"I see..." Yuna said with a disappointed look.

"So who's Cid?" Naruto asked her. 

"He's my uncle, but I've never actually met him."

"So," Sai said as he put the pieces together, "Does that means you're Al Bhed, too, Yuna?"

Yuna nodded. "On my mother's side, yes. Cid is my mother's brother. He became distant after my mother married. But she told me to seek him out if I ever needed help."

Tidus put a finger to his chin. "You're worried he was...?"

Lulu looked at Tidus sharply. "Don't tell Wakka about Yuna's lineage," she said, "The thing about Wakka-he never had much love for the Al Bhed."

"Oh yeah that's right," Naruto mumbled.

"Wakka thinks the Al Bhed are to blame for Sin coming back," Shikamaru sighed as he tilted his head back.

"This Wakka guy, is he cool and hip like my eternal rival?" Gai asked.

"Well…he's cool," Tenten said.

"And he's hip…I guess," Neji added.

"Kakashi-sensei is wayyy more cooler," Naruto shouted, "Besides, Wakka gets riled up to easily."

"Now who does that remind you of?" Shikamaru mumbled. Sakura laughed at the comment while Sai smiled. 

Suddenly, Tidus remember something. "Whoa! I gotta tell Wakka!"

The black mage glared at him. "I thought I told you _not_ to tell Wakka!"

Yuna realized it too. The Leaf shinobi all looked at each other with puzzled faces.  
>"The game!" Yuna cried.<p>

Lulu eye's widend. "Oh!" She turned around and casted a fire spell in the sky. It shot straight up and made a bright light.

######

Somewhere in the Blitzball stadium, Wakka saw it as time ticks down in the final half of the game.

"Thirty seconds left..." said the announcer, "The Aurochs are launching an all-out offensive!" 

Wakka swam fast, making himself open. Letty saw his captain. He cocked his arm back and let loose the ball.

"A long pass from Letty!"

Wakka caught it.

"It goes through!"

Wakka swam towards the goal, avoiding an Al Bhed defender and shoots.

"He shoots!"

Two seconds left. The ball goes straight towards the goal, and the Al Bhed keeper missed it.

"Gooooooal! Unbelievable! The Aurochs win the match, 3-2!"

######

They were back on the docks, and had watched the entire thing from the T.V. screen.

Tidus punched his fist in the air as he heard the announcer. "We won!"

"We did it! We're in the finals!" Yuna cheered.

Lulu's mouth twitched as she tried to suppress a smile. "Not the most...graceful win. If it was Chappu, he'd still be standing."

"Hey, aren't you being just a little unfair?" Tidus said to her.

"Excuse me?" Lulu raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know I could never take Chappu's place, "You're the one who told Wakka that, right, Lulu? And I don't think Wakka would ever try to take Chappu's pl-"

"You don't want to finish that sentence."

Tidus gulped and waved his hands defensively in front of him.

"Whose team am I suppose to be fighting for?" Gai asked the Leaf chunin as everyone made their way back to the Luca stadium. 

They looked at him in shock.

"You know about blitzball?" Naruto gaped.

Gai chuckled. "Well of course. Being in this unknown land, I had to ask questions. And I got strange looks from people, but that could've also been from the fact that they were surprise to see my style of fashion." He eyed Kimahri. "You know…Kimahri, was it? If it weren't for the fact that I already had a rival, I would ask you to spar with me."

"All of you…really aren't from Spira are you?" Yuna said and all eyes were on her. Lulu was up ahead while Kimahri slightly behind Yuna. Tidus was on the other side of Yuna.

"That's what we've been trying to tell you Yuna," Sakura said, "It's not because we suffer from Sin's toxin."

Gai got serious. "Sin came to our home, as they may have told you. I'm going to guess that all of us got transported from our home to here, but we're all scattered," Gai said. "Our mission is to try to get back home."

"I see."

"Speaking of your eternal rival Gai, have you seen Kakashi?" Shikamaru asked.

Gai put a finger to his chin, thinking. "I would have immedietly sensed my eternal rival's chakra if he were here. So, no. Why do you ask, Shikamaru?"

Said genius gestured to Sakura with his head. "Sakura said that she thought she'd seen him down at the café."

"I didn't get a good look at him," Sakura explained, "Yuna was sorta…blocking him from my view."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuna said, "What did this man look like? Maybe I'll remember him."

"From what I saw, he had white hair, and a dark eye."

"_A_ dark eye?"

"Your form was blocking the rest of his face," Sakura said with a light tone.

"Oh." Yuna tried to remember.

"This guy made you laugh," Sakura said as she tried to remember the event, "And you turned away blushing!"

Tidus frowned at that bit of news.

Gai clenched his fist. "Ahh, my rival, calm and cool as always. He was always good with the ladies."

Yuna's eyes widened. "Oh! I remember the man," she said, "He was wearing a black mask!"

That got everyone's attention.

"Was one of his eyes red with a weird pupil?" Naruto exclaimed.

Yuna shook her head. "I don't' know. He had a headband of some sort covering his other eye." She then put a hand to her mouth. "His head band is exactly like yours!"

Naruto, Sakura, and Sai looked at each other with hope. Maybe their sensei was here in Luca after all! This motivated everyone to get back faster.

They parted ways before Lulu, Tidus, Kimahri, and Yuna went to the locker room. The site of the Aurochs surrounding Wakka who was lying on the bench greeted Lulu.

"Sure you're all right, Cap'n?" Datto asked in a worried tone.

Letty was just as worried. "The game starts in a few minutes. You sure you okay?"

"We're playing the Goers, too," Jassu sighed.

Wakka picked up a blitzball that was on the ground but fell and dropped it. The door opened and Tidus entered, stopping the ball with his foot. He kicked it up and caught it. "Miss me?"

He passd the ball to Datto, who caught it. Yuna and Kimahri walked in.

"Lady Yuna!" Datto exclaimed. 

"Are you okay?" Letty asked.

Yuna gave a sorry look to everyone. "All this because of me." She frantically gave small bows. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Wakka had made it back on the bench. "How can you let some Al Bhed kidnap you?"

Tidus gave him a look. "Hey, let it go, all right?"

"Don't go near Al Bhed any more, okay? They're trouble." Wakka said as he laid back down. He sat back up after a moment. "The game starts soon. No time for warm-ups. Ready?"

"Lemme at 'em," Tidus said. Yuna and Kimahri took this as their cue to leave, while Lulu stayed behind.

"We'll be up in the stadium!" Yuna called out.

"All right!" Wakka stood up, "I got something to tell you boys." The Aurochs looked at their captain. "After this game...I'm retiring." The Aurochs all looked at each other, whispering. "I promised myself this would be my last tournament," Wakka continued, "Win or lose, I'm quitting blitzball. But you know...since we're here, we might as well win!"

The Aurochs punched their fists in the air. "Yeah!"

"A-Am I on the bench?" Botta said as he hung his head.

Wakka stepped up to Tidus and put his hands on his shoulders. "I'm warming the bench. He's taking my place." He turned back to the Aurochs. "All right, boys, let's win this one! Let's make the Goers goners!"

"Let's blitz!" Tidus cheered and he and the Aurochs walked out, leaving Lulu and Wakka alone.

The black mage walked up to the Auroch's captain. "I saw you floating there, on the sphere."

Wakka scratched his head sheepishly. "Hey, you weren't supposed to see that."

Lulu's crimson eyes looked at him, waiting for him to say something else. Instead, Wakka groaned and collapsed, Lulu catching him with a grunt. She held him for a bit.

"You really…gave it your all, didn't you?"

######

Team Gai, Team 7, and Shikamaru stood outside the entrance of the stadium, wondering where they should go next.

"Yuna's description matches Kakashi, I say that we go find him," Naruto suggested.

"We can't be so sure," Neji said.

"But she said that he wore the Leaf hitai-ate," Naruto pointed out.

Sai had a pensive look on his face. "If that was indeed Kakashi-senpai at the café, then why didn't he come to us?" Sai asked, "You'd think he'd be able to detect his student's own chakra."

"Well, it wasn't easy finding Gai-sensei," Tenten piped up.

"Yes, but we were in the same area, less than ten feet away from him," Sai countered, "You found Gai in a completely different place, with more people."

"If in indeed that was Kakashi," Gai started, "We shouldn't worry about him then. Kakashi may have his own reasons for not exposing himself to us sooner, so we need to trust him. In fact, knowing him, he's probably off getting answers about Spira so that we can figure out how to get back to Konoha."

"But…the fiends…" Sakura began, her face showed her worry.

"Remember who Kakashi is," Shikamaru said to her, "He's a smart guy, not to mention a fast learner. He's probably figured out how to defeat half of the fiends in Spira by now."

They all stood in silence.

"So what do we do now?" Tenten asked.

"Yuna did say that we should watch a blitzball game," Sakura said, "And since the Aurochs are in the Finals, we should probably go show then our support.

"And if all else fails, we should ask Yuna what she thinks," Shikamaru suggested, "After all, we don't know our way around Spira. Maybe she can point us in the right direction."

"And maybe even get to be her guardian?" Naruto said hopefully.

Shikamaru smirked. "Don't get your hopes up."

They all headed towards the stadium, all of them except Gai and Sai.

"I want to see if I can maybe catch Kakashi," Gai said, "He might have just been more reluctant with you guys. I'll tell you if I find out about anything."

"And I want to get a sketch of Luca," Sai explained, "I already did one of Kilika. But Luca is so big, and vast, so different than Kilika. I want to capture its beauty."

"Alright, we'll see you after the game then," Naruto said and followed the rest of the shinobi to the stadium.

######

Needless to say, the shinobi were _thrilled_ with their blitzball experience. Lulu had joined them a little while after, but it was like nothing they have ever experienced before. The game even had Neji and Shikamaru on their toes. Although they were a bit confused when Wakka was substituted for Tidus. Everyone cheered when Wakka came out.

"Weren't these the same people who were against the Aurochs in the first place?" Naruto asked.

"Unbelievable! The Aurochs win, folks! This is one for the record books!"

The crowd cheered.

Wakka floated in the water in a laying position. Tidus came out and swam up to him, and Wakka gave him a thumbs up.

"This was soo cool! I think it's cooler than any exam I've ever seen!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Agreed. I've never seen people challenged like that. I think I'll start using some of their techniques for training," Lee agreed.

"I'm glad you all came," Yuna smiled, "But where are Sai, and Sir Gai?"

"Gai-sensei wanted to look for Kakashi," Lee said.

"And Sai wanted to draw a picture of Luca," Sakura answered.

"I see. Well, what do you all plan to do next?" Yuna asked. She looked from one shinobi to the other.

"Umm…" Naruto began, "We don't know. We were kinda hoping you could point us in the right direction."

But before Yuna could answer screams filled the air. Kimahri got into "attack" mode, and pulled out his spear. People started running around.

"What's happening?" Lulu said, as she remained calm. She looked into the Blitzball sphere and saw Tidus and Wakka be approached by water fiends.

A flash of green appeared in front of them. Gai had come back. "I heard screams, he said, "What's happening? What's going on?"

Sai appeared as well. He looked around. "Fiends? Here in the stadium?" he said with a puzzled tone.

And suddenly, the group found themselves completely surrounded by friends.

"_Man_, this sucks," Shikamaru groaned.

**A/N:** Pahahaha, so I lied about a few things. A) there weren't Konoha scenes, and B) I didn't introduce any other Naruto characters. Sorry. It's just that this chapter got soooo long (not that I don't mind…but it was getting close to 30 pages O_o) Anyway was it really Kakashi they saw? I swear someone else will make an appearance in the next chapter, but I can't guarantee about the Konoha. That may not happen until we get find Rikku.

And don't forget to review or add this story to your favorite/alert list! :)


	8. Legend Lives and the Mi'ihen Highroad

**A/N:** I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy.

BOBOBOBO – you make me soo happy. I've never had someone review as much (and as genuinely positive as you). Thanks!

Ryo no Kitsune – Thanks for reviewing! :D

**Chapter 8**

Tsunade covered her face with her arms as a bright flash of light filled the air, a stream of curses running through her mind. As much as she loved the brat like her own, the boy was brash. She admired his energy and passion, but not so much on his planning.

She saw the light dim and lowered her arms cautiously, her eyes widening. The beast was gone, along with half the team, including Naruto. But what surprised her was that nothing was destroyed. It was if the beast hadn't come and attacked. Her brow furrowed as she started counting who was missing.

Naruto. Sakura, her beloved apprentice. Her eyes filled with sadness at the thought of her apprentice gone. Sakura was like a daughter to her. Shikamaru. Sai. Team Gai, including their sensei. She continued counting, but was interrupted.

"Tsunade-sama!"

She looked over to see Shizune rushing towards, Tonton at her heels. A small wave of relief filled her body. Genma, Raido, Aoba, Iruka, and other shinobi appeared.

"Shizune, what happened?" Genma said as he approached her with Raido and Aoba.

"Tsunade-sama! Are you okay?" Shizune asked.

The Sanin gave a solemn nod before she started counting who was left. There was Shizune, Tenzou, the Aburame boy, Inuzuka, Akamichi, Yamanaka, Hinata…

"Are you guys alright?" Iruka asked Team Kurenai.

"We're fine," Shino answered.

"Naruto, that idiot!" Kiba growled as he checked over Akamaru, Hinata and Shino by his side.

"What happened? Where is everyone," Ino asked as she looked around.

"Gaara! Where's Gaara?"

She looked over to see Temari helping her brother, the puppet master, stand. They both looked around, worriedly.

"The hell was that thing?" Kankuro said as he dusted off Crow.

Tsunade's eyes swept over her team once more. Kakashi was gone. Her eyes darted furiously for another white-haired man.

Jiraiya didn't seem to be with them either.

Her frown increased. This was bad. Some of her strongest ninja were taken to who knows where, if they're still alive. And to make matters worse, Suna was missing their Kazekage. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Hopefully the Sand won't take it as a sign of aggression from the Leaf Village. She looked at Shizune, who was waiting for orders.

Tsunade closed her honey-brown eyes. "Well, I'm sure the elders would like an explanation…"

"Hokage-sama!" Kotetsu and Izumo were running towards the group. A small, strange looking machine was in their hand. "We found it by one of the portals before it closed up," Kotetsu explained.

Tsunade examined the machine. It was made of metal and glass—the glass was a sphere like shape outlined by a gold metal rim. "It looks like it runs on electricity," Tsunade murmured. Even though the machine was offline, the glass had a blue tint.

"It just sorta popped out," Izumo added as he scratched his head.

Her eyes narrowed. "Take this to my office. I want everyone to start researching, contact the other villages to see if they know anything. I want you to find out everything about this machine. "

######

Tidus didn't know what was happening, but he knew that he had to act fast. He marked each water fiend that was swimming within the sphere, dodging whenever they attacked. He noticed people running and screaming outside the sphere and noticed fiends surrounding the place.

He looked over his shoulder when he found himself back to back with Wakka. The Aurochs captain gave him a thumbs up and Tidus nodded, determination in his eyes. They needed to kill these fiends fast and find Yuna and the others.

Together, they both maneuvered their way to the entrance of the sphere, making sure that all the fiends have been dispatched.

######

The group found themselves surrounded by fiends.

"_Man _this sucks…" Shikamaru groaned.

Tenten pulled out her scroll, unraveling it. A couple of explosive tags attached themselves to the some fiends that were close to the group. The fiends exploded, pyreflies filling the air. "What should we do?" she asked.

"We should get Lady Yuna to safety," Neji said.

"I agree. A battle is no place for you milady," Gai said in the direction of Yuna.

"No," Yuna said with resolve, startling Gai.

Lulu fired a couple of spells towards some other fiends. "Her duty is to the people of Spira."

Gai closed his eyes and smirked, "I understand. In that case, let us call upon the powers of youth!" Fire burned in his eyes. "Neji, take Lee and Tenten with you to the other side. Shikamaru, you and I will go over there," he ordered. His team nodded before heading off to the other side. Gai turned to Naruto.

"I'm staying here," the boy stated firmly, with Sakura and Sai nodding in agreement.

"Alright then," Gai said before disappearing, Shikamaru following suit.

More fiends ranging from all different sizes started approaching the group. Sakura cracked her knuckles as Sai pulled out his scroll and paintbrush. Naruto did a handsign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Clones appeared and charged towards the fiends, attacking them.

Two ink tigers came out of Sai's scroll and headed towards a giant bird-like fiend. They both attacked before disappearing in an inky puff, and a flash of pink descended down onto the fiend.

"SHANNARO!"

The fiend shot down towards the ground, but combusted in a fit of pyreflies before making contact. Sakura landed gracefully on the ground and looked over her shoulder to see Naruto taking out a couple of dingo fiends. In front of her Kimahri was piercing a large fiend that bore armor-tough skin. She suddenly dodged a sonic boom attack and became face to face with another bird-like fiend. But before she could attack, a blur of orange streaked in front of her.

"RASENGAN!"

She watched Naruto land next to her. He gave her a thumbs-up and she smiled, before returning her attention back to the battle. Yuna summoned Valefor to deal with the bird fiends while Lulu worked up a fury of spells on the unfortunate ground fiends. They all tried to defeat as many fiends as they could, but they just kept coming.

Sai finished off a group of fiends. "How many fiends _are_ there?" he panted.

"How did they all get into the stadium?" Yuna said in a worried tone, "Luca has _never_ any problems with fiends."

"Guess these crusader guys are slacking," Naruto commented.

"No. They've got their hands full looking out for Sin," Lulu said, "Let's just do the best we can until Wakka and Tidus get here."

Naruto quickly stopped to see how the other teams were doing. He watched as Tenten demolish a good portion of fiends with her weapons, while Neji and Lee tag-teamed with each other. They seemed to be fine, but he could tell that they were getting tired. Probably low on chakra as well. He shifted his attention to see Shikamaru snag some fiends in his shadow jutsu and cut them to ribbons while Gai used taijutsu.

"I don't know how much longer we'll be able to last," Naruto said to himself. Suddenly, a flash of red caught his eye and he looked down at the stadium. His eyes widened.

"It couldn't be…"

######

Auron stood alone, his huge sword resting on his shoulders as people ran all around him. They were running from something, and as if on cue, the fiend they were running from appeared. It was a purple dragon-like fiend, its skin tough and bulky. It hissed and gave a roar as it saw the man. Auron smirked at the challenge. He shrugged off the part of the coat where his arm looked like it was in a sling, and widened his stance.

It was a Mexican-standoff. Seeing that the fiend wasn't going to make the first move, Auron charged and swung his heavy sword at the fiend. It died in one hit. He smirked again before turning to walk away, but stopped as he heard his name.

"Auron!"

"Sir Auron!"

Tidus and Wakka ran up to him. "So, you _do_ know him," Tidus said to Wakka who nodded.

"Yeah. Best guardian there ever was."

Before Tidus could reply, more fiends showed up. The trio worked together and defeated them.

"Whew," Tidus said, leaning on his sword.

"Don't let your guard down!" Auron scolded.

And just as he said that, a huge shadow loomed over the trio. Wakka turned around and saw the bird like fiend. "Oh, boy." They all prepared to fight, but looked on in confusion as sand surrounded the fiend and crushed it. Pyreflies flew off as the sand retreated to its source. Everyone's eyes followed the sand to see a boy dressed in red with a huge gourd on his back. Auron smirked at the boy.

"W-who are you?" Tidus asked. And again, the conversation was cut off as more fiends appeared. "Hey, gimme a break!"

"Look, it's Maester Seymour!" a civilian yelled.

"What's he doing?" Another shouted.

######

Seymour was witnessing the mayhem from the safety of his seat, overlooking the stadium. With resolve in his eyes, he formed his hand in the prayer gesture. Globes of energy surrounded him, and a massive anchor descended from above, pounding into the ground. People gasped as the anchor drew up a monstrous aeon.

The aeon looked like a mummy with its one eye uncovered, blood dripping from it. It had huge sharp teeth, its canines like a sabre-tooth tiger's. Lavender colored hands wrapped around its neck, holding onto chains as if restraining it, while the aeon's own arms were restrained by chains that didn't have an end.

"Wha-what is that?" Naruto gasped.

Sakura gave a look of horror at the creature, and even Sai's eyes were wide.

The Aeon gave off an inhuman roar, a weird light emitting from its one eye. It gave a jerk of its head towards a group of fiends, and the fiends combusted in pyreflies. Fiend after fiend, the aeon defeated.

"Shikamaru, what the hell is that thing?" Gai asked the lazy genius. But for once, he did not have an answer.

Soon the air was filled with pyreflies, and the sound of silence. Everyone looked up at the blue-haired guado with affection and hope. Seymour gave a soft smile before releasing his Aeon.

"Show off…" Naruto muttered darkly as the group started to leave the stadium.

#######

Team Gai and Shikamaru met up with the group.

Yuna looked at Wakka with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

Wakka waved her off. "Never liked long goodbyes anyways. Sorry for making you wait, Yuna. I had some promises to keep, ya. From now on, I'm your full-time guardian."

Yuna nodded with a smile. "Then welcome back, Sir Wakka. Good to have you with us."

Wakka rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Hey, it's good to be back, ya? So, any news on what happened?" 

"Not really. We don't know where the fiends came from," Lulu explained, "Maester Mika is safe and sound, thanks to Maester Seymour. That's about it."

Yuna nodded before turning nostalgic. "Maester Seymour's aeon... It was so powerful," she said.

Sakura looked over at her blonde teammate. "What's wrong Naruto, you've been quiet ever since the whole rukus in the stadium," she asked.

"Oh! It's nothing," Naruto assured her. The leaf shinobi observed him, and he thought for a minute. "Well…there was this one guy I met with Tidus in Zanarkand—before it got destroyed—and I thought I saw him at the stadium." He scratched his head. "Funny, I could have sworn I saw—"

"Gaara!"

"Lord Kazekage!"

Everyone turned to see the sand-using boy standing before them. Naruto shouted in joy as he pulled the red-head for a tight hug. "Gaara! I thought I saw you! Man it's so good to see you!"

Gaara stiffened at the contact as his eyes widened. Naruto laughed as he let go.

"Have you been here this whole time?" Shikamaru asked dryly.

"I have," Gaara nodded, "though I'm not quite sure where we are…"

"We'll fill you in! Don't worry!" Naruto assured him. Yuna, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri walked over to them.

"I don't think that will be necessary, Naruto," Gaara said as he watched Yuna walk up to them.

"Another lost friend?" Yuna said with a smile.

Naruto nodded with a grin. "Yeah. This is Gaara. He and I go wayyy back. We have a lot in common, don't we Gaara?" Gaara gave a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you Gaara, friend of Naruto. I'm Yuna, a summoner from Besaid, and these are my guardians: Lulu, Sir Wakka, and Kimahri," Yuna introduced herself with a warm smile. Gaara couldn't help but feel touched at how welcoming the young woman was, and felt himself smile at her.

"Gaara, did you happen to see Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked the red-head.

Gaara thought for a moment. "I haven't actually run into him, but now that I think about it, I may have seen him walking around. I don't know where he went. Sorry," his eyes dimmed in apology. Sakura gave him a reassuring smile.

"Hey, where's Tidus?" Naruto asked, looking around.

"He went to speak to Sir Auron," Wakka answered. Yuna's eyes widened.

"Sir Auron?"

######

"Hey you! Don't just stand there! All of this is your fault!" Tidus yelled at the older man, "Gettin' swallowed by Sin! Ending up here in Spira! Not being able to go back to Zanarkand-everything, everything! I'm telling you, it's all your fault."

Auron just laughed.

When he quieted, Tidus looked at him suspiciously. "Who are you, anyway? You knew my old man, didn't you?" 

"Yeah," came the stern reply.

"And you also knew Yuna's father?"

Auron peered over his sunglasses. "That's correct."

Tidus shot up. "Hey, man, no way! Hey man, there's no way. That's just impossible."

"Nothing impossible about it," Auron said nonchalant, "Jecht, Braska, and I... together we defeated Sin, ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand...where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira."

Tidus slumped over, "Why did it have to be me?"

"Jecht asked me to."

Tidus's ears perked at that. "Is he alive?"

Auron looked out at the sea. "It depends on what you mean by "alive". He is no longer human. But then...I felt something of Jecht there in that shell, couldn't you? You must have felt him when you came in contact with Sin."

Tidus's eyes widened and gave Auron an incredulous look. "It can't be..."

Auron gave a small nod. "It is. Sin is Jecht."

"No! That's ridiculous! No way! I don't believe you!"

"But it is the truth. You'll see for yourself. Come with me."

Tidus paused, his back was facing the older man. "If I say no?"

"Every story must have an ending," Auron shrugged.

"I don't care about your stories!" Tidus spat.

Auron watched him from behind his sunglasses. "I see. Sorry you feel that way. Fine, then. Come or don't come. It's your decision."

Tidus wheeled around, "What am I supposed to say? You tell me it's my decision, but I don't have a choice, do I? I have to go with you! I have to! You're the only one who can tell me what's going on anyway!" He crouched to his knees, visibly upset.

Auron looked down upon him. "Irritating, I know. Or are you afraid?" He walked over to the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right."

Tidus looked up. "Auron? Will I ever go home? Back to Zanarkand?"

Auron looked back out to sea. "That's up to Jecht." He looked back down to Tidus. "I'm going to offer my services to Yuna. Come."

######

The group was waiting for them by the entrance to the Mi'ihen Highroad. The shinobi were all huddled together while the others were by a bench.

"Do you think he's gonna stay here?" Wakka asked.

Lulu shrugged. "Sir Auron knows him, apparently. You were right. He did meet someone he knew."

"Do you think he'll find a way back to Zanarakand?" Yuna said as she walked up to the pair.

Wakka crossed his arms and looked down at the ground. "In any case, I'll miss having him around."

They became silent.

"Hey Naruto." The blonde looked at Gaara. "I wanted to show you something." The sand slid out of his gourd in front of Naruto who held out his hands. He felt the sand place a metal object. The rest of the shinobi came over, curious to see what the Kazekage had. When the sand disappeared everyone observed the object. It was made of metal and glass—the glass was a sphere like shape outlined by a gold metal rim.

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not sure," Gaara answered, "I found it next to me when I appeared in the town. Since no one else seemed to want it, I took it with me. It may prove to be useful later."

"Uh-huh," Shikamaru interrupted, "And how do we get this thing to work? Looks to me like it's broken. Hasn't been used in a while."

"It looks like it runs on some sort of electricity," Gai said as he put a finger to his chin.

"Maybe we can ask Lady Yuna if she knew what it was," Neji suggested.

"Speaking of Lady Yuna," Shikamaru butted in, "I think we should offer to become her guardians."

"What?" Neji's brow furrowed.

"Hold on Neji, Shikamaru's got a point," Gai said, "We all know that there are some of us who got transported to Spira; however, I believe that some of us got transported to different places.

"I told you," Naruto said smugly to Sakura who ignored him.

"Right," Shikamaru said, "And since we don't know our way around this world, we should tag along with Yuna."

"Don't you think we'd crowd the group?" Tenten asked. She was also suspicious of being a guardian.

"But remember what Yuna said," Sai pointed out, "She only has as many guardians as she trusts."

"That's right. Lady Yuna trusts all of us with her life," Lee agreed.

"And it is a joy and honor for her," Sai said with a smile.

Neji sighed, seeing as he wasn't going to win this one either. Not that he was going to anyway. There's just no point in arguing with his sensei. He looked over at Yuna who looked like she was about to head off.

"He's still in town, isn't he? I think I'll go see him." she said before walking away, only to bump into the pair she was looking for. "Oh!"

Wakka looked startled. "Whoa."

"Sir Auron!" Yuna bowed. 

"Yuna."

Yuna straightened up. "Sir?" she looked up at him.

Auron looked at her straight in the eyes. "I wish to become your guardian. Do you accept?"

Lulu's eyes widened, "You're serious?"

"You refuse?"

Yuna quickly shook her head, "No, no! We accept! Right, everyone?" The Leaf Shinobi and Kazekage walked over to them.

"O-Of course! No problem at all!" Wakka reassured.

Lulu looked at Auron, "But...why?"

"I promised Braska."

Yuna's eyes widened. "You promised my father?" she said with awe, "Thank you, Sir Auron! You're welcome to join us!"

Auron grabbed Tidus, who was shuffling around with his hands in his pockets, and flung him forward. "And...he comes too."

Tidus scratched his head. "Hi...guys. Eh...howdy!"

"This one I promised Jecht," Auron explained.

"Is Sir Jecht alive?" Yuna asked.

Auron looked up at the skies. "Can't say. Haven't seen him in ten years."

"I...see," Yuna said in a deflated voice.

"You'll meet eventually," Auron assured her.

"Yes. I'm looking forward to it!"

"Hey, can we be your official guardians, too?" Naruto asked.

Auron looked over at Gaara. "I see you've found your group," he said to the boy.

"Yes, but it was all thanks to you," Gaara said, "If you hadn't taken me in, I'd probably still be lost."

Auron chuckled.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait…how do _you_ know Auron?" Naruto pointed to Gaara.

"When I first appeared in Luca, I ran into Auron at a bar. When I started following him, he asked me if I knew where I was and I told him what happened," Gaara explained, "He said that I should come with him, and that he can help us."

"Did you show him the machine you showed us?" Neji asked.

Gaara gave a hesitant nod. "I did, but…" He looked at Auron for help.

"We can talk about this later. But as far as your guardianship goes, that is up to Lady Yuna," Auron closed the conversation.

All eyes were on Yuna. "I would be honored to have you all as my guardians," she said with a bow. And one look in her eyes and they knew that she was sincere.

Auron took a step towards Lulu, "So. What's our itinerary? Where are we headed?"

While Lulu and Auron were talking, Yuna grabbed Tidus's hand. "Hey! Come with me!" She led him over to a small place that overlooked a smaller part of Luca. It was also where the Leaf shinobi had been standing.

Yuna let go of his hand. "Hey, watch!" She put her fingers to her lips and blew. A clear sound of a whistle is heard.

"Hey, you got pretty good," Tidus said to her.

Yuna tilted her head. "You sound sad."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Wanna scream?" Yuna asked in a playful voice.

"Please don't," Naruto said as he and the other shinobi walked up to them. Gai decided to listen in on Auron's conversation with Lulu.

Tidus gave a small laugh. "I really don't think that's gonna help this time."

Yuna nodded, and enjoyed the view. "You know what?" she said after a while, "It's embarrassing to say this myself...but summoners and their guardians are kind of like Spira's ray of light. A lot of people in Spira depend on us."

"Hey, Sakura-chan, don't you think that shinobi are like the village's ray of light?" Naruto asked his pink-haired teammate. She smiled and nodded her head.

"Yeah, you're kind of right!" Ten-ten said with some thought.

"Yosh! Many people depend on us to keep our village safe!" Lee cried.

"What a drag. Doesn't it get hard though?" Shikamaru said as he took out a lighter and lit it. His eyes grew sad.

Yuna's eyes softened as smiled at them. "I learned to…practice smiling…when I'm feeling sad, you know? I know it's hard." She smiled at Shikamaru, who smiled back.

"Yeah...I understand. I think," Tidus nodded.

Yuna clapped her hands together. "Right, now let's see what you can do."

Tidus gave her a crazy look. "Huh?"

"Come on!"

Tidus tried his best to smile, but it looked weird and crazy. Naruto started to laugh.

"This is weird!" Tidus said through his teeth.

"Next, try laughing out loud!" Yuna instructed. That got all the shinobi to walk away.

"What?"

"Come on, show me!" Yuna urged him.

Tidus looked at her before stretching. He took a deep breath, and forced a loud, obnoxious, annoying laugh. Everyone around stared at him.

Yuna had an embarrass look on her face. "You…probably shouldn't laugh any more."

But Tidus continued to laugh, getting louder and louder each time. Yuna soon joined him. They both took a deep breath, and bellowed. It wasn't long before they were really laughing.

Yuna covered her mouth, "Too funny!"

"It was your idea!"

Yuna regained her composure. "Um...thank you," she told him, "I want my journey to be full of laughter."

Tidus nodded, "Okay." 

"If we should get separated, just whistle," she told him, "I'll come running, I promise."

Tidus hummed and nodded. "Well, let's go."

They both turned around to see Lulu and the other looking at them. The Leaf shinobi were back in their corner looking innocent.

"What're you looking at?" Tidus asked their small crowd. 

"We were just worried you guys might've gone crazy!" Wakka said.

"Sorry!"

Yuna giggled, "Well then, alright. Now, we will go to the temple of **Djose**. And guardians? Don't forget to smile."

Neji felt someone poke him.

######

They all walked up the stone steps and saw a winding dirt path that would lead them to the Djose temple: Mi'ihen Highroad. Tidus took a deep breath and stretched. While he looked around, a short, old, white-bearded man, with a tall green hat and green outfit stops him.

"Do you know what those ruins are from?" the man asked.

Tidus scratched his head, "Some old city?"

"Correct. A city most ancient!" the man exclaimed, "A terrible testament to Sin's power. I tremble every time I see them. Compared to Sin, humans are mere mudpuppies!"

"But I believe humans are the only ones capable of defeating Sin," Yuna said.

The old man looked at Yuna, "A good reply. I am relieved to hear you say that, m'lady summoner. Where are my manners? I am Maechen, a scholar. At your service, m'lady."

"A scholar," Sakura commented.

"I am on a journey, studying the history of our world, Spira, seeking its stories and secrets..." Maechen continued, "My travels have taken me to many places, and I am troubled by what I have seen. Fragile smiles on people's faces crumbling at the mere mention of Sin. They are counting on you, m'lady. Give them a reason to rejoin once more."

Yuna gave a firm nod, "I will."

They continued on the path. Soon, a trio of chocobo, giant yellow birds, riders - two girls, one guy - run up to them.

"Lady Summoner, I presume?" the leader, a girl, asked.

"Yes, I am Yuna."

"I am Lucil, captain of the Djose Chocobo Knights."

"And I'm Elma," the other girl said, "We've been charged to guard the Highroad."

"There have been reports of a large fiend appearing in this area, with a taste for chocobos," Lucil explained, "Do take care, Summoner Yuna, if you are to rent any chocobos."

Yuna nodded, "Thank you. We will be careful."

"Good. We should get back to our rounds. Farewell," Lucil turned her chocobo around. 

"Our prayers are with you," Elma said before they rode away.

"I wanna ride one!" Naruto exclaimed.

Tidus had a thoughtful look on his face, "A large fiend...let's go get him!"

"Why?" Auron challenged the boy.

"It's the right thing to do," Tidus declared.

"Truly stated by the power of youth!" Gai cried while he and Lee embraced each other as student and teacher.

Auron raised an eyebrow, "It's the right thing to do?" He chuckled.

"What'd I say now?" Tidus groaned.

"Jecht said that a lot, too," Auron explained, "And every time he said it, it meant trouble for Braska and me."

"Oh great," Shikamaru said sarcastically, "As if hanging out with _this_ blonde isn't enough trouble."

As they continued along the path, they were soon met by a woman and her young daughter. "My Lady Summoner!" the woman bowed.

The girl walked up to Yuna, "You're a summoner?" Yuna knelt down to the girl's level.

"Yes. My name is Yuna."

"I'm Calli."

"Nice to meet you, Calli."

Calli looked at Yuna. "Lady Yuna, are you going to bring us the Calm?"

She nodded. "Yes, very soon."

"Yay!" Calli exclaimed as she ran circles around Yuna.

"We're looking forward to another Calm, My Lady Summoner," Calli's mother said. 

"I'll do my best."

The woman looked at her guardians. Her eyes widened as she saw the whole group, but she smiled. "And good luck to your guardians as well." She bid the group good bye and walked away with Calli hand-in-hand. The group continued their journey.

"What's the calm?" Tidus asked after a while.

"The Calm is a time of peace," Lulu explained, "It comes after a summoner defeats Sin, and lasts until Sin reappears."

Yuna nodded, "Sin dies and is reborn."

The lightbulb went off in Tidus's head. "I get it! I thought it was weird. Yuna's dad defeated Sin ten years ago, right? But Sin's still here! Didn't make much sense till now." 

Naruto and the Leaf shinobi all had a confused look on their faces. "Wait...if it just comes back..." Naruto began.

"Don't say it isn't worth it," Yuna cut him off, "…because it is."

Gaara nodded in agreement. "Even for a little while..." he began absentmindedly, "people can sleep in their beds without being afraid. That kind of time is worth anything."Naruto and the others gave their friend a look. "Auron already told me," Gaara said simply, "I had the same thoughts."

They continued along the Highroad, and soon encountered a chocobo carrying a caravan of some sort. Naruto recognized the two men who were leading the caravan forward. "Hey!" he greeted, "Long time no see, Gatta!"

"Hey!" Gatta greeted back. He turned to Wakka and Tidus, "Hey, we saw the game! You guys were great!"

"Congratulations, Wakka!" Luzzu said with a small nod towards the former Aurochs captain. They were interrupted when the Chocobo Knights appeared. 

"Hey! Stop loafing around!" Elma said.

Gatta scratched his head while trying to come up with an excuse. "Uh...the lady summoner and her guardians..."

"This mission requires our full attention. We've no time to waste!" Lucil said sternly, "Understood?" 

"A…mission?" Naruto said, his eyes wide. He turned to his teammates who were all curious as well. He looked at Gaara, who only shrugged and shook his head.

Luzzu turned to the captain of the Chocobo Knights, "Yes, ma'am! Apologies, ma'am!"

Lucil gave a curt nod, "Carry on."

As the two rode off Luzzu turned to Gatta. "See? Keep your head down, say "sir" a lot, and you'll do fine," he advised the younger man.

"Right...sir."

"What kind of mission are you guys on?" Naruto asked as he inspected the caravan. Sakura frowned at her teammate for asking such question.

"Uh…" Gatta said as he looked at Luzzu.

"I'm afraid we can't give you the details on it," Luzzu apologized.

"Of course, we understand," Gai assured him. Of course the Leaf shinobi understood. There were some missions that were classified.

"I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later when you hit the Mushroom rock road," Luzzu continued. He turned to Yuna. "Hey, Yuna, even though Yevon rejected us...we still believe in you. That won't ever change."

Yuna nodded her head. "Thank you, Sir Luzzu, Sir Gatta." She gave them a cautious look, "But, you know...it's not too late for you to go back to Besaid, and..."

Gatta cut her off. "We should be going, sir!"

They both ran after the caravan, which was moving forward without them. Naruto scratched his head while looking after them. They continued along the path, running into a few fiends here and there. They passed by a small group: two crusaders were arguing with a girl dressed in green robes.

"We'll defeat Sin any way we can!" one of the crusaders spoke.

"But Yevon's teachings say..."

"Enough!"

The two crusaders walked away.

"I-I only meant to..." the girl looked defeated.

Yuna, who felt sorry for the girl, walked over to her. "Are you all right?"

The girl looked at her warily, "Lady Summoner...?" They both do the prayer gesture. Everyone else walked over to them.

"Yes, I am Yuna."

The girl clapped her hands together, "It is an honor, my lady. My name is Shelinda. I am a disciple of Yevon." Gaara's eyes narrowed.

Wakka walked up to her. "What was all that about? The Crusaders' operation?" he asked.

Tidus looked at him. "You mean the one Gatta and Luzzu were talking about?"

Shelinda's eyes darkened. "I heard they were to use forbidden machina! I had to stop them."

"Huh? Why?" Tidus asked with a confused look.

"The use of machina is strictly forbidden by the Yevon priesthood," Lulu explained.

"That's bad, ya?" Wakka added.

Auron grunted, "Let them use whatever they want. They still won't defeat Sin." 

Naruto and the other shinobi looked at the old man with a small amount of surprise. They looked at each other, save for Gai who was just listening intently. Naruto and his friends were thinking the same thing. They all thought they were beginning to understand the world they were in, but that was all out the window.

"But, it's not about defeating Sin!" Shelinda argued, "The teachings of Yevon must be upheld!"

Wakka balled his hands up into fists. "Yeah! Right!"

"But you don't understand! The Crusaders won't even listen to me," Shelinda added, "And it's all because I'm just a lowly acolyte."

"Don't say that," Yuna scolded her, "Well, I haven't been a summoner for very long myself, you see. Still, I can't put myself down every time I fail." Shelinda looked at Yuna in surprise. "People are depending on me. They're depending on both of us!"

Shelinda smiled. "Yes! Yes, you're right, my lady. Absolutely right!" She clasped the summoner's hand. "Thank you so much, Lady Yuna! Now, I feel I have the courage to finish my training." She ran off.

"So, these people plan on using these so called "forbidden" machinery to defeat Sin?" Gai asked.

"Looks that way," Auron said.

Wakka grunted. "And they wonder why Sin always comes back," he spat.

Sai gave an unemotional look at Wakka. "You know," he began, "I'm starting to believe that Sin will never be truly defeated." Yuna gasped as Sakura gave him a sharp look.

"Sai!"

Shikamaru yawned. "Think about it," he said, "You say that Sin will always come back until everyone has "repented" or whatever…"

"But to completely rid Spira of all sins is impossible," Neji finished, "There will always be someone who will go against the teachings."

"What are you saying?" Wakka scowled at the shinobi, "That Sin is indestructible? Are you questioning the teachings of Yevon?" He was about fed up with these younglings.

"No," Gaara interrupted, "But it's sad to think how many lives were given up in order to defeat Sin, when no one has truly defeated it."

Before Wakka could retort, the group found themselves in front of a small inn. "We rest here," Auron stated.

Wakka took a closer look at the inn. "Rin's Travel Agency" was written above the entrance along with some odd looking markings. His eyes widened. "But, this is an Al Bhed shop!"

Auron turned around to look at him. "Is that a problem?"

"They don't believe in Yevon, and in Luca they..." Wakka sputtered, "They kidnapped Yuna!"

"Where were her guardians?"

Lulu put a hand to her forehead while Wakka grunted in annoyance. Shikamaru murmured something along the lines of "he's got a point."

"Sir Auron's just concerned about your health," Yuna reasoned.

Wakka put his hands on his hips. "I'm not tired one bit!"

Auron ignored him and walked in the inn. "Well I am."

Everyone else followed him in. They paid for their rooms and were given a key. Auron, Kimahri, Lulu, and Wakka headed towards their rooms leaving the shinobi in the lobby area with Tidus. Sai had stayed outside, saying something about wanting to paint the sunset that was peeking through.

"As if I could sleep!" Tidus said to himself before deciding to walk back out. The shinobi looked after him.

"Gaara," Naruto began, "Back with the Crusaders, you mentioned that the summoners give up their lives to defeat Sin…but no one has truly defeated it." Gaara nodded. "Does that mean that there is a way to truly defeat Sin?"

Gaara felt all eyes upon him.

"Wakka insists that Sin keeps coming back," Neji reiterated, "because of Spira's past. And until they all repent for themselves, it will continue to come back."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, "They obviously don't know how to think for themselves. Sai was right to question it."

"But he was out of line," Sakura glowered, "Don't get me wrong. I think it's fishy too, but still…" Silence filled the air.

"You said you asked Auron about the machina?" Gai asked Gaara, "What did he say?"

Gaara's sand seeped out of his gourd and the machine was placed on the table. "He said that it was made by the hands of the Al-Bhed," he explained, "The reason why I was hesitant to tell you guys was because Wakka was there." Gai nodded understandingly. "Auron didn't really know the function of it, but he guessed that it was used as means of communication."

"I'm guessing he doesn't know how it works," Shikamaru said dryly. Gaara sighed in response. "Figures. So only an Al-Bhed would know how it works…_if _it still works," Shikamaru continued.

Suddenly, an idea popped in Naruto's head. "Hey, we know of an Al-Bhed," Naruto gestured to himself and Sakura. Sakura gave him a look before she realized whom he was referring to.

"Oh yeah! Rikku!" She frowned. "But we have no idea where she is. She could still be out in the ocean for all we know!"

"But there is a chance that she might not," Lee argued, "and that is a chance that we all are willing to take."

"We don't really have much of a choice," Shikamaru pointed out.

"Why don't we all sleep on it?" Tenten suggested, "I'm sure we'll feel much better about it in the morning." Everyone agreed and went to their rooms, leaving Naruto and Sakura.

"We should go get Sai," Sakura suggested as Naruto grinned.

######

It was sunset. They found Tidus enjoying the view, while Sai was sitting on a rock with his notebook and pen. Sakura and Naruto walked up to him. He stopped drawing and looked at the picture, showing his teammates.

"This sunset is different from the one I saw in Kilika. It's quiet-almost gentle," Sai explained. Sakura and Naruto nodded in agreement. They looked over at Yuna who looked serene staring out at the sea.

Tidus noticed Yuna too, and walked up to her. "Whatcha up to?" he asked. She looked up at him and smiled, before turning back to look at the sea. Tidus sat down next to her as Sakura and Naruto sat down next to them. They all sat in one line with the order from left to right: Tidus, Yuna, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai. 

"Pretty..." Yuna commented.

Tidus hummed in agreement, "Sure is."

"I wish I could live in a place like this. Peaceful...living with a smile on my face every day," Yuna said with a sigh.

"You can, once you beat Sin, right?" Tidus asked.

Yuna nodded with a small smile. "But then a new Sin will be born anyway."

"Well then, you can just beat it again," Tidus shrugged.

Yuna gave a sad smile, "I wish I could."

Tidus gave her a nudge. "Hey, you can! Trust me! You are the best summoner out there!" He paused. "Yuna, why does Sin always come back?"

"Sin is our punishment for our vanity," Yuna explained, "And it will not go away until we've atoned."

Naruto and Sakura groaned at the familiar explanation while Sai just continued drawing.

"How do we do that?" Tidus asked, "What did we do that was so bad in the first place? Was it using lots of machina or something? Oh...wait, was that such a bad thing, really?"

Yuna had a perplexed look on her face. "It's funny..." Naruto and his teammates looked at her with interest. "Ever since I was young, I never questioned it. But now that you ask me if it is that bad or not...I don't know. There are so many things I don't know."

Naruto laughed, "Well then, we're the same! All of us!"

"Such thinking is very unbecoming of a summoner!" Tidus said, trying to mimic an old man's voice, "Sound like Mika?"

They all laughed. "That's not very nice, you know!" Yuna said as she regained her breath.

They all stood up, ready to go back in.

"You know..." Tidus began, "During a game, you have to think of blitz and nothing else, you know?"

Yuna nodded. "Okay."

"Uh…I think you might have to elaborate," Sakura said as she noticed Yuna had just nodded her head. They all understood it, because when you're on a mission, that's all you can think about. Any distractions will leave you open, weak, and vulnerable. It was one of the most important lessons of being a shinobi.

Tidus tried to think of a better explanation. He snapped his fingers. "You can't think, 'That's a cute girl in the fifth seat from the right,'" he started, "And you can't be thinking about where you're going to go on that date, because the minute you do, that's when you lose! You see, uh, Yuna, what I mean is, you really shouldn't worry, you know? After we beat Sin, that's when you can worry about the future."

Yuna smiled, "I guess." 

"But Lady Yuna, how are you supposed to beat something big like that?" Sai asked with his eye smile. Tidus started to comically star punching the air.

Yuna looked back out at the sea, her expression forlorn. "The Final Summoning," she said, and Tidus immedietly stopped. "It's the only way to defeat Sin. The only way." Sai's eyes slowly opened. "With it, we can call the Final Aeon. That's the goal of the pilgrimage," Yuna continued, "The Fayth of the Final Summoning lies waiting in the far north, to greet summoners that complete their pilgrimage." She did the prayer gesture.

"At the world's edge... in Zanarkand."

Tidus gave her a look of surprise. "In Zanarkand?"

"She means the ruins of a city destroyed a thousand years ago."

The five turned around and saw Auron walking towards them.

Tidus sighed, "You sure it's ruins?"

Yuna gave a small nod. "That's what I've heard."

"You'll see it for yourself soon enough," Auron said, "Yuna, come back inside." He walked back into the inn.

Yuna went to leave. "You will go with us... to Zanarkand?" she said over her shoulder.

Tidus sighed, "Yeah, I'll go. I'll go to Zanarkand to see it with my own eyes." Yuna nodded before heading in. Naruto gave Tidus a questioning look. "I know it can't be my Zanarkand, where we first met. But I have to make sure," he explained.

Naruto nodded mutely. "See to believe it." The rest of them went inside. 

######

The next day Tidus found himself the last person to be up. He looked around the lobby and saw Auron sitting at a table. Gai was leaning against the wall, while Neji was leaning against a different wall with Tenten and Lee by his side. Tidus yawned and went to move, but there was a man blocking his way.

"Byntuh sa," the man said.

Tidus cocked his head. "Sorry?"

The man turned around to get a full look at Tidus. "Ah, forgive me, sir. I meant to say "pardon me", but it came out in Al Bhed." 

"Oh, you're an Al Bhed?"

The man nodded. "I am Rin, owner of this establishment. Hela du saad oui." Tidus gave him a blank look. "It means, 'nice to meet you.'"

Tidus's eyes widened as he smiled. "Well helly doo sad wee to you, too."

Rin nodded. "If you are interested...Al Bhed primers can be found all over Spira. Finding them and learning our language might be fun. Here, let me give you one in commemoration of our meeting. Although you might want to be careful where you speak out language." He handed Tidus a small card.

"Yeah, I hear Al Bhed aren't liked much," Tidus said as he took the card, "Oh, sorry!"

Rin sighed. "Ed ec y crysa." (It is a shame)

Suddenly, a scream filled the air. "Someone, help! The chocobos!"

Gai and his team stood attentive as they heard the scream. Tidus watched them hurry to the entrance of the inn where they ran into Auron, who was about to enter.

"That's our cue, let's go," the older guardian said to Tidus before leaving. Team Gai followed behind.

Tidus looked after them. "Huh?" He suddenly felt Rin right beside him.

"Thank you for your help," the Al-Bhed owner said, "Please, use this." He gave Tidus two Mega-potions. Tidus thanked the man before running outside.

He immedietly met up with Auron and Lulu. The others were a couple yards ahead of them.

"To the chocobo corral!" Lulu said as they all quickly headed to the location.

But they were only able to move a couple paces before they heard the ground shake. Tidus looked around as several chocobos ran past them.

"What the—"

"There, on top of the Agency!" Neji cried. He had activated his Byakugan. They all looked up at the roof.

On top of Rin's Travel Agency, a massive fiend was standing with a chocobo clutched in one fist. It jumped down, the ground moving, and the chocobo pecked its hand making the fiend release it. The Leaf shinobi observed the fiend. It was huge; its arms longer than it's legs with giant claw like hands. It looked like a huge blue pac-man with short legs and long arms. Its mouth was open revealing two purple tongues.

"Gross," Tenten said in disgust, "What kind of fiend is this?"

"A chocobo-eater," Lulu explained, "It's a fiend with a taste for chocobos."

The fiend faces the group, and everyone knew that the battle was starting, and it took place in front of a cliff. Auron turned to the shinobi. "We can handle this, but stay near by if things get bad," he ordered them.

"WHAT?" Naruto shouted.

"Fine by me," Shikamaru sighed, "Less work for us."

Tidus, Lulu, and Auron went up to attack first, while Wakka and Kimahri were behind them for back up. Tidus went charged at the fiend and gave it a good slash of his sword, and Lulu summoned up a powerful Fira spell.

"Is it me…or did that Fire spell look more powerful than usual?" Sakura asked out loud.

"It's because it's Fira. The next level of Fire spells for a black mage," Wakka explained, "Cool, ya?" 

Sakura nodded as Auron was surrounded by a strange light, it followed him and disappeared as he struck the fiend with his heavy sword.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

"Power break. It lowers an enemy's strength," came the reply.

They all watch Auron take a brutal punch from the fiend, it then pointed at Lulu as if gesturing that she was next. Ignoring the warning, Lulu fired another Fira spell, the explosion caused the fiend to fall on its back, looking like a turtle who'd been flipped on its shell.

"Attack now! Push it back!" Auron shouted. The three wasted no time landing hits and firing fire spells.

"This'll be over before you know it," Wakka said with confidence. And as soon as he said it, the chocobo eater led out a cry as it tried to get back on its feet. Everyone covered his or her ears, but it drove Auron to kill it faster.

Naruto felt the ground quake beneath him and he looked up to see another chocobo eater running straight at them. "There's another one! That one just called for its friend!" Naruto shouted while pointing at the fiend. "It's coming straight at us!"

Lee looked and Gai, who nodded. They both disappeared with blinding speed. They jumped and extended their legs, stopping the fiend with a power kick. The fiend was knocked onto its back, but got back up in a rage. As the two landed, the other Leaf shinobi gathered around them. The commotion gave the first chocobo eater enough to get back on its feet, and shoved Auron, Lulu, and Tidus back. Tidus and Wakka decided to switch.

"Listen up!" Gai shouted, "We can't allow this fiend to get to them while they're all occupied with the other one. It's up to us for this one." Everyone nodded and took their positions. "Sakura, Sai, Shikamaru, you two make sure that the fiend doesn't reach Lady Yuna and the others. Naruto, summon those clones of yours. If this fiends manages to get past those three, push it back!"

A bunch of Naruto clones appeared in puffs of smoke. "You got it!"

Gai and Lee were in charge of knocking the fiend onto its back. When it was vulnerable, Tenten pulled out a bunch of scrolls and hit the fiend with all she had. When the fiend made a move to attack, Neji stepped in and blocked the attack with his Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. Gaara tried his best to cover the fiend in sand, but it managed to escape the sand box. The fiend wasn't lucky enough to reach the other three, but they helped out anyway. Shikamaru used his shadow jutsus to help restrain the fiend.

Sakura noticed that the other fiend had managed to turn the tables so that Tidus's group faced the cliff edge. She charged towards the fiend with chakra infused fists and punched the fiend over the group's head and over the cliff. She watched as the fiend struggled for a moment before realizing it was in the air. It fell and landed with a small explosion and a cloud of pyreflies floated up to the sky. They all turned to her and she gave a sheep smile. Yuna decided to step in, since she was out for most of the fight.

"Tell them to stand back, I'll summon," she told Sakura who nodded. They both ran over to the other fight. As Gai saw the pair, he nodded to the others who were quick to jump back.

This time, Yuna twirled her staff with both hands in front of her. Fire emitted from the end of her staff and created a circle that got smaller and smaller until it was a ball of flame in her hand. When she dropped the flame to the ground, she knelt down and the flame dispersed into a bigger circle, creating a huge fiery glyph on the ground. The ground beneath her shook and a huge pillar of fiery brown earth popped up. When Naruto looked closer he realized there was a creature in the middle. The creature moved and broke the pillar. Yuna came flying down, but the creature caught her on its shoulder and landed. It gently let Yuna off, and gave a roar.

The aeon was a mixture of a goat and a dog, flames covering its body. It bore sharp purple antlers. Its body was huge, brown, and muscular. Long purple claws were attached to large hand-like paws. Its bright orange hair on its head, wrists, and ankles mirrored the movement of flames.

"Another aeon?" Naruto asked out loud.

"The one she received from Killika," Lulu answered.

"Ifrit, Meteor Strike!" Yuna cried.

A faint glow emanated from the aeon, Ifrit, and it created a huge meteor-like orb and hurled it towards the chocobo eater. The fiend punched back. And for a couple of moments, the two exchanged hits. Finally, Ifrit started to pulse a light glow, signaling that its overdrive attack was ready.

"Hell's Fire!" Yuna shouted.

A bright glow, accompanied by sparks, surrounded the aeon. It jumped in the air and crossed its arms in front of its chest, summoning two other orbs. It threw them down at the fiend. As the two orbs made contact they exploded, a huge wall of lava emitted from the ground. It was like a volcano eruption that lifted the fiend off the ground. The aeon then created another meteor, except bigger, and shot that towards the fiend as well. The impact of shooting the orb caused the aeon to land on the ground, but he grabbed the ground and lifted a huge chunk of earth towards the fiend. The impact created a bright light that everyone shut his or her eyes.

When the light died down, the fiend was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, it hit the ground and was still, pyreflies slowly drifting from its body. When it seemed that the danger was gone, the chocobos returned, running around happily.

"We did it! Ha, believe it!" Naruto cheered and jumped in the air.

"The power of youth knows no boundaries!" Gai said with a smirk. The other guardians walked over to the group. Wakka scratched the back of his head.

"Hate to say it, but you guys handled that really well," he mumbled, "Being newbies and all…"

"Newbies? Please, we've handled tougher things," Naruto snorted, "Try taking on the best shinobi and then we'll talk."

Rin and a blonde-haired girl with goggles - the attendant – approached them.

"Have you an interest in renting some chocobos?" he asked the entire group, "As a token of our gratitude, the first time is free of charge. Please ask the attendant if you wish to rent."

"Thank you so much for saving the chocobos!" the attendant said.

"So…how bout it?" Naruto asked excitedly to everyone.

"How about what, Naruto?" Sakura sighed.

Naruto pointed to the chocobos with the excitement of a child. "Can we ride them?" he grinned.

"Why not?" Yuna smiled, "After all, its for free."

Shikamaru sighed. "_You_ guys can ride your birds, _I'm _going to walk," he said.

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "And this is coming from _you_? The lazy genius who thinks everything is 'troublesome'?" she crossed her arms.

"Yeah, I thought you'd want to ride one since it would mean you _wouldn't_ have to walk," Naruto laughed.

Shikamaru groaned. "I don't know a _thing_ about chocobos Naruto. Trust me, this way is easier." Lulu walked up to him.

"I'm not very fond of riding chocobos myself, allow me to accompany you on your walk," she said.

"As well as me." It was Auron.

"What's the matter old man? Scared of a chocobo?" Tidus taunted. Auron just chuckled.

"There are less harmless things that are scarier than a chocobo," he said before walking off, Lulu, Shikamaru, and Gai—who said something about wanting more training—in tow.

"I think I'll walk too," Neji said before catching up to them.

Sai pulled out a scroll and quickly sketched. A huge white bird came out of the scroll. "I've got my own bird," Sai said with a smile. He mounted the bird and took off.

"Well, I guess the rest of us are taking chocobos," Wakka said as he scratched his head.

"It'll be fun," Tidus assured as the girl came back with eight chocobos.

The attendant gave instructions on how to mount and dismount a chocobo, and how to control it with the reins. Soon, everyone except Naruto had mounted their chocobos.

"Hey, this isn't half bad," Tenten commented.

"It's like sitting on a cloud," Sakura added as she stroked the neck of her chocobo. The bird gave a small cry of affection. Sakura laughed.

Naruto—who didn't pay attention when instructions were given to him—jumped onto of his chocobo, starling it. "Woooooooooahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" he yelled as the chocobo took off with Naruto holding onto its neck for dear life.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sakura yelled.

"Guess we better make sure he's at least going the right way," Wakka laughed before urging his chocobo to walk.

######

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm a summoner!"

"Sorry, ma'am! No exceptions!"

"You dare impede a summoner's pilgrimage?"

"Sorry, ma'am! No exceptions!"

"Useless!"

The group arrived at the entrance which would lead them to the Mushroom rock road. They noticed Dona and her guardian standing off to the side, angry. Before they pass through the gate, Clasko - the guy who was with Lucil and Elma before - stopped them.

"You have to leave your chocobos here," he explained, "Come on, everyone off!"

Naruto whined but got off his chocobo, everyone else doing the latter. "We had our struggles but we had fun, right buddy?" he said to his chocobo, who only gave him a harsh peck to the shoulder. Naruto laughed sheepishly before inching away. He then noticed Luzzu and Gatta talking to another Crusader.

"Gatta and Luzzu reporting, sir!" Gatta gave a salute to the crusader. 

"This is the last of them," Luzzu explained.

The crusader gave a small bow before moving out of the way. "Good to have you with us. Go on through!"

They watched them go. The carriage looked strange to Naruto. It was if it was a cage. Suddenly, he jumped as a roar emanated from the carriage. "Woah! What was that?"

Gatta turned around and looked at Tidus. "Show me how to play blitz sometime!"

Luzzu turned around as well. "Wait around. We'll have Sin beaten in no time!"

They continued on. Tidus and the group made a move to follow, but the guard stopped them. "I'm sorry, I can't let you pass." He took a closer look, specifically at Yuna. "Hey, you're a summoner and her guardians, right? Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Say, could you tell us about this operation of yours?" Tidus asked.

The guard gave him a look of surprise. "What, they didn't tell you?" His response was blank looks. He sighed. "We're bringing Sinspawn from all over Spira here."

"Sinspawn inevitably draw Sin, right?" Sai asked.

The guard nodded. "We're going to lure it into a trap! This mission, Operation Mi'ihen, is a Crusader - Al Bhed joint mission." Everyone's eyes widened and Wakka grunted. The guard continued, "We Crusaders lure Sin in, and the Al Bhed strike it down. You see, Al Bhed hate Sin as much as we do. They managed to salvage ancient machina. They say they're as powerful as the mighty aeons."

"Machina are forbidden by Yevon," Gaara pointed out.

The guard made a face. "Ah...on second thought, let's not go there. Better for you not to know. The Crusaders in Operation Mi'ihen have all been excommunicated. My own family won't even speak to me now." He looked at Yuna. "We have to beat Sin today. Otherwise, there's nowhere for us to go."

Naruto looked at the others. "Now what?"

But before anyone could answer, a blue-haired man passed by them with two assistants. It was Maester Seymour. As he passed by he stopped.

"So we meet again, Lady Yuna." Sakura felt goose bumps appear on her skin at his voice, while Naruto just frowned.

Yuna stepped forwards and looked at the maester with confused and surprised eyes, "Y-Yes?"

"You look troubled. Is there anything I can do?" he asked her.

Yuna looked at the gate. "Well..."

Seymour followed her gaze. "I see." He stepped towards the guard who immedietly saluted him.

"Maester Seymour. Let me show you to the command center."

Seymour held up a hand, "Hold. I have a request."

"Yes, Your Grace?"

Seymour gestured to Yuna. "I need to have Summoner Yuna and her guardians let through to the command center." The guard sputtered.

"But, Maester Seymour, sir."

"Do not worry. I will take full responsibility."

The guard looked warily at the group. "Very well. They may pass." He opened the gate.

Seymour turned back to the group. "It is done."

Yuna gave a small bow. "Thank you, Your Grace." Seymour gave her a gentle smile, before walking away. The group began to walk through. Yuna didn't move as she was pondering what had just happened. Naruto and Sakura were exchanging quiet words about Seymour while Shikamaru was talking to Team Gai. Lulu noticed that Yuna hadn't moved and called out to her.

"Yuna, it's time to go."

Yuna's head shot up. "Oh! Right!" 

"Who does he think he is?" Tidus scowled as they continued to walk.

Wakka clapped a hand on his shoulder. "He's a maester. Better get used to it, ya?"

Gaara was walking next to Auron. "I don't like Maester Seymour," he said quietly to the older guardian.

Auron just smirked. "He's not the only one won't like."

**A/N:** I'm still alive! Sooo….it took me a while to get this one done, and I apologize. Not only did I have to write it, but editing it was a PAIN IN THE NECK! I apologize for any other grammar and spelling issues that I have missed. I do not have a beta for this story. But I did have some Konoha scenes XD Oh, and I bet you didn't think Gaara would be in there did ya ;) Anyway, you know the drill, review, favorite, alert this story if you like it!

Btw…it's my birthday today! ^_^


	9. Operation Mi'ihen: Failure

**A/N:** I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy.

BOBOBOBO – Thank you! I'm not gonna lie, I felt a little overwhelmed and stressed with all these characters. But with patience and determination, it _can_ be done! I'm very honored to have a reviewer like you :D

Sprig – Thanks for reviewing! Sure Kakashi's missing, but there's another white-haired man who's missing. A man more perverted than Kakashi ;)

Dragon Naruto – I thought it was odd seeing you on this story :P but I appreciate the review. Don't worry, I plan on updating the Dissidia fic REALY soon. In fact, I got a vita for my birthday and bought the game. Now I can accurate portray the characters! :D Although…the actual gaming portion was a lot harder than I thought

**Chapter 9**

The sky was grey and cloudy, as if foreshadowing the horrible events that were about to occur. They weren't storm clouds, but it gave off an ominous feel. This attempt at destroying Sin with the use of the forbidden machina, and everyone new that they might not make it alive. But the smidge of hope that it might work kept them going.

Sakura felt goose bumps upon her arms, and she rubbed her hands up and down on them. "Nothing's happened. No one's died but why do I feel…as if they have?"

"You can just smell it in the air, all the tension," Shikamaru commented, this time there was no laziness or sarcasm in his voice. His eyes were serious, observing everything there was. "It might as well be a war."

The group approached a group of crusaders. Some were running up and down on patrol, others sparring with each other, and a few were conversing. They straightened up as they saw the group with Maester Seymour.

"All hail Maester Seymour!"

Seymour looked at the group. "Brave Crusaders of Spira, protectors of all Spira," he announced, "Believe in the path you have chosen, let faith be your strength!" The shinobi watched with interest. "I, Seymour Guado, maester of Yevon, will bear witness to your deeds today."

"Sir!" The crusaders saluted in unison.

Wakka scratched his head. "What's goin' on? Why's Maester Seymour backing the Crusaders, eh?" he said, "They're using Al Bhed's machina! They're violating the teachings!"

"Looks like Sin's staying for another ten years," Sai mused with a fake smile. Sakura elbowed him harshly in the ribs as the other shinobi glared at the ROOT member.

Yuna nodded sadly. "Even going against the teachings they're willing to risk it for the greater good," she said in a calm voice, "Wakka, I think Maester Seymour sees that, too."

But Wakka was unconvinced. "Lulu?"

The black mage thought for a moment. "Hmm...I can only speculate."

"Ask him yourself," Auron said as he watched Maester Seymour approach them.

The Maester looked at Yuna first, and then at Auron. "Ah, Sir Auron. It is an honor," he said, "I would be most interested in hearing what you've been doing these past ten years."

"I've got nothing to say about it," Auron said coolly, before walking away.

Maester Seymour watched his retreating back. "I...see." He then looked at Yuna with amused eyes. "Sir Auron must be a great asset as a guardian."

Yuna gave another bow. "Your Grace!" She couldn't figure out why a maester like him would have such interest in her. It made her flustered.

"Please, there's no need for formalities," Maester Seymour interrupted her gently.

Wakka stepped up to the maester. "Excuse me...Maester Seymour?" he began. He suddenly felt nervous and began to scratch the back of his neck as he tried to speak.  
>"Why is your Lordship...presently...present here...sir?"<p>

Seymour looked at the man, and then smiled. "Please, speak as you normally would."

Wakka straightened up, felling better after the maester's words. "Isn't this operation against the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you gonna stop them?"

Seymour thought for a moment. "It's true...I should." Wakka relaxed a bit.

"However..."

Everyone's ears perked up.

"Both the Crusaders and the Al Bhed truly wish peace for Spira," Seymour explained, "This Operation Mi'ihen was born from that wish they share. Although it may be sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure." He gestured to himself, "And I, Seymour Guado-the person, not the maester of Yevon...as a denizen of Spira, I wish them well in their endeavor."

While the shinobi, and Auron, were better at concealing their surprise, Yuna and the others were not, as they gasped at his explanation. Wakka's mouth was opened. He couldn't believe it! A maester of Yevon…supporting the use of the forbidden machina? Against Sin no less! "But, using machina...that's bad, isn't it?"

A strange smile appeared on Maester Seymour's face. "Pretend you didn't see them."

Everyone gasped.

Wakka's eyes bugged out. "Beg your pardon, but that's not something a maester should say!"

Seymour turned around to leave. "Then pretend I didn't say it."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the maester. He looked at his fellow teammates who were also serious, some of them concerned, with what just happened.

"You're kidding!" Wakka said with disbelief as the master walked away.

"From the first time I laid eyes on him, I never did like that Seymour guy..." Naruto mused out loud.

"Some of the things he said make a lot of sense," Gaara stated the facts, "It's not like the Al Bhed are using these forbidden machina out of malice. They're using it with the hopes of defeating Sin. That's why he said Operation Mi'ihen's intentions are pure."

Wakka just grumbled as they walked on, his arms crossed and his eyes deep in thought. They continued on their path. When they reached the entrance to the rock road, a male crusader was seen running towards them. "Excuse me, Lady Summoner Yuna?" It was Clasko.

Yuna turned to him. "Yes?"

"The command center...Maester Seymour requests your presence there, ma'am," he told her.

"Thank you," Yuna said with a small bow.

Clasko pointed in a direction. "Take that road to the command center. It's not far," he explained, "We're still in the midst of preparations this way. Sorry."

They walked down the winding pathway of the road, following a couple of Crusaders. The shinobi watched in awe as people were pushed up from the ground by a mushroom like platform. They all looked at each other. Mushroom rock road indeed. Despite there being crusaders around, the path was littered with fiends, ranging from killer fang dogs, to the plant fiend Ochu. When it appeared there was a lower level from where they were standing, Naruto looked down.

"Hey, what's down there?" he asked. He didn't know why, but he felt something pulling him down there. It wasn't a force, but more like a scent. A _familiar _scent.

"Nothing but a place where fiends sit and chat with each other," a crusader answered as his buddies laughed.

"My brother told me that's where the Crimson Squad—" a young crusader, who wasn't more than a child, began to say but was hushed by the older crusaders.

"Please continue on the path, My Lady Summoner," One of the female crusaders said with a smile.

They did, and reached a lift. At the lift, were Luzzu and Gatta, arguing.

Gatta's eyes were steaming mad. "Why only you, sir? I want to fight, too!"

"Orders are orders."

Gatta flailed his arms around. "I'm not a cadet anymore, sir! Let me go with you, and I'll prove it to them!"

"Guarding the command center is important too, you know," Luzzu crossed his arms, not giving in.

"But I came all the way from Besaid to fight Sin, sir!"

"I know, but an order's an order. To your post, Crusader."

Gatta gaped, "But, sir!" When it seemed that the older crusader wasn't relenting, Gatta ran off.

Luzzu sadly looked after him, and did the prayer gesture. His eyes brightened, slightly, when he saw Yuna's group. "They let you through, huh?"

Tidus crossed his arms, "Gatta deserves better..."

"I agree," Naruto said, "Why not let him fight? After all, he's got the will."

"At least there's no chance he'll get hurt," Wakka pointed out, "Why are you guys fighting, anyway? Aren't the almighty Al Bhed machina enough?"

"They still need some time to get them ready," Luzzu explained, "Our job is to keep Sin at bay till they're done." Luzzu looked sadly as the Auroch's Captain turned his back on him. "Wakka...I might not get another chance to say this," he paused, "It's about your brother."

"His brother?" Shikamaru repeated.

"Chappu," Sakura told him.

Lulu's eyes widened. "Luzzu, no!"

Wakka turned around. "What?"

Luzzu looked straight into Wakka's eyes. "I'm the one who convinced him...to enlist." Wakka looked at Lulu as she took a breath, and hung her head sadly.  
>"I'm sorry," the crusader said.<p>

The shinobi watched on with grave expressions.

Wakka paused for a few moments, thinking. Then, out of the blue, his fist sailed over to Luzzu, punching him hard on the side of the face. Luzzu fell to the ground. Lulu and Yuna gasp. Wakka was shaking, and took a step towards him, but he suddenly found himself immobilized.

The shinobi looked over at Shikamaru who had activated his shadow jutsu.

"Wakka! That's enough, Wakka!" Tidus shouted.

"Stop that right now!" Naruto added.

Wakka stopped struggling. When Shikamaru was sure he wouldn't attempt at the man again, he released his shadows. Wakka looked at Luzzu with disgust. "When we used to play blitz together, Chappu used to say...he'd say that-when we won the Cup, ya?-he'd propose to Lulu," he said, "And then one day...he goes off and becomes a Crusader. Just like that."

Luzzu started to stand up. He touched his face, which was slightly puffy. "Chappu also said to me...that being with your girl is good..." he looked at Lulu, "But keeping Sin far away from her is better."

"Lu, you knew?" Wakka asked with questioning eyes at the black mage.

Lulu looked away, "Luzzu told me...before we left."

"She hit me, too," Luzzu added.

"So what if your brother joined the Crusaders!" Naruto argued, "That's not an excuse to blame him for his death!"

"But it _is _because of him," Wakka retorted, "My brother is dead because of _him_. Lulu's lover is dead because of _him_!"

"But you're brother knew…the risks of joining the Crusaders," Gai said in a tone that was neither harsh, nor soft, "Surely you didn't think that he was too naïve to believe that it was a two-way trip."

"You don't seem like a guy who would believe that as well," Sai added.

That got Wakka to calm down.

"And even if he did end up surviving, he wouldn't come back without scars," Shikamaru said, "Just think about how much he would have gone through."

"You'd have your brother back, but it wouldn't be the same brother you once knew," Neji finished, crossing his arms.

"You talk as if you know what we go through," Luzzu commented.

"We do," Sakura replied, "We know exactly what it's like to give up your life if it meant peace for the people you cared about. All of us…dedicate ourselves to harsh training so that we may protect everything we hold dear."

"And in that life, there is no guarantee that you make it out alive," Gaara added, "A life-threatening risk, yet we willingly throw ourselves into the most dangerous situations."

"Even if someone presents the idea, it is _our_ choice whether to take the chance or not," Lee finished.

"Then why do you do it?" Luzzu asked, "Why do you do it knowing that you could very well die and not live to see your children or lover?"

"We do it…because we want to protect the future. _Our _future," Naruto stated with resolve.

And everyone, Luzzu, Wakka, Lulu, Auron, Kimahri, Yuna, and Tidus, all saw the same look on the shinobi's faces. It was the look of unwavering determination, and the will to protect. To the Leaf shinobi, it was the Will of the Fire.

They were interrupted by Lucil, who guided her chocobo towards the group. All eyes were on her. "All Crusaders in the vanguard are to assemble on the beach!" she announced.

Luzzu turned to the group, "That's my cue." He turned and went to leave.

"Luzzu!" Wakka shouted, and the man paused, "Don't die out there."

Luzzu looked over his shoulder. "So you can hit me more?" He turned fully so that he was facing the group.

"Lots! Lots more!" Wakka said as he started punching the air.

Luzzu stared at him for a moment, before turned around and continued to walk. Yuna gasped and quickly ran out in front of him. "Sir Luzzu, please!" she begged, "Please, don't go!"

"I have to, Yuna," he replied, not looking at the younger girl.

"Let him go," Auron called out to Yuna, "The man has already chosen his path...as you did when you became a summoner."

If Yuna had doggy ears, they would be flat against her head. She hesitated, before allowing Luzzu through.

They boarded the lift. As they were going up, Yuna was smiling.

"What are you so happy about?" Sakura teased the summoner.

"Oh!" Yuna looked at Sakura, "It's just that…everything you all mentioned…talking back there with Luzzu. I thought the same thing, when I decided to become a summoner.

"Yeah, well, it's the truth," Naruto grinned. Then his face turned serious. "Where we come from, our future is the next generation. Without them, we'd have no future. So it's up to us, the present and past generations, to protect everything that we have so that the new generation has something to look forward to. Believe it!"

"Said like a true ninja," Gai said, wiping tears away from his eyes.

They arrived at a place that led to the command center. Several Crusaders were standing among a dozen or so cannons. The group watched as Wakka walked up to one of them, trying to see what everyone saw in them. He grunted, "Curse these...!" and kicked the one he was looking at. He then started hopping as he tried to relieve the newfound pain in his toes.

"He really hates them, huh?" Tidus said after observing the man.

"Chappu..." Lulu began, "He left the sword Wakka gave him in Besaid. And he fought with an Al Bhed machina weapon instead."

Wakka faced them with a serious face. "That's got nothing to do with it!" he argued, "I just hate these sacrilegious contraptions!"

"Sure," Naruto rolled his eyes.

They headed for the command center, and as they passed by a cliff Yuna and Wakka looked over the ledge to see several Crusaders, some riding chocobos, all lined up. They saluted when they looked up and saw Yuna. Naruto watched as the carriage that Luzzu and Gatta's chocobo was carrying was opened, and two crusaders tried to move a fiend out of it. It jumped out and entered a massive cage. Fiend roars and cries were heard from the cage.

"It won't work anyway," Wakka mumbled.

"Don't say that," Yuna chastised, "It might be a hopeless campaign, and it might mean defying Yevon...but the Crusaders and the Al Bhed-they're doing their best to defeat Sin."

"They want to rid Spira of Sin forever," Sai said observed.

Yuna nodded. "And that's just what we want, too, isn't it?" She turned to face Wakka. "Isn't it?"

Wakka crossed his arms and looked at Yuna. "Hmph! All right, all right!" he gave in after a while, "But I still think machina are bad news! They're forbidden for a reason!"

"Lady Summoner! There you are!"

They turned around to see Captain Lucil once again. "The command center is that way," she told them, "Maester Kinoc is also there."

Yuna eyes widened. "Maester Kinoc, too?"

Lucil nodded. "Yes. Please hurry, my lady."

She led her chocobo away and the group wasted no time hurrying to the center. When they got there, they saw Gatta guarding the entrance.

He was looking at the ground when he spoke, "The operation will begin shortly. Please check all your equipment." He was enthusiastic, maybe even a little sarcastic as he recited what he was told too.

Wakka looked at the boy worriedly. "Um, you all right?"

"Of course not!" Gatta said, "I came here to fight Sin! But they stick me here!"

"If you want to prove yourself..." Auron spoke up

"Huh?" Gatta turned to the old guardian.

"…first you must complete the tasks you are given."

Gatta hung his head as he contemplated the advice that was given to him. The group continued on and into the command center. As they entered, a pudgy man in a light orange robe got up from a chair, walked over to Auron, and hugged him. The guardian stiffened.

"I'd heard from Seymour, but I didn't know if we'd actually meet," the pudgy man said, "Good to see you, Auron! Ten years, is it?" He laughed.

Tidus and the shinobi looked at the man in confusion. Lulu noticed, and decided to help them out.

"That's Wen Kinoc, one of the Four Maesters of Yevon," she said in a hushed voice, "He leads the warrior monks and also commands the Crusaders."

They were cut short as Gatta ran in.

"All troops ready to move at your command, sir!"

Kinoc gave a curt nod. "Good. Dismissed."

Gatta saluted, "Sir!" and left the premises. Wakka and Yuna followed him.

"Tell me, Auron. Where have you been the last ten years?" Kinoc asked Auron.

"We don't have time for this now, do we?" the old guardian retorted.

"This plan won't work, you know that," Kinoc said, with an underlying tone, "We'll just let them dream a little longer."

Tidus' narrowed his eyes at the man. "What?" Naruto and the others were feeling the same way.

"What does he mean 'it won't work'?" Naruto asked his fellow shinobi.

"And by 'dream a little longer?" Neji said as he crossed his arms, brow furrowed.

"It means," Gaara began.

"Lord Kinoc..." Maester Seymour interrupted.

Kinoc turned to the other maester. "Oh, yes. Proceed." He turned to leave.

"That Kinoc, a maester?" Auron said under his breath, and Gaara smirked.

"I heard that, Auron," Kinoc said, "A lot has happened the last ten years. What were you doing, and where?"

"Fulfilling a promise I made to a friend. I still am," was his nonchalant reply.

Kinoc turned around to look at Auron. "Just tell me one thing: Have you seen Zanarkand?"

Auron just "humphed" and walked away, not intending to talk to the man further. Yuna and Wakka returned, Yuna looking a little weary and uncomfortable.

"I kinda...think we don't belong here," she said in a soft voice. The shinobi looked at her with questioning eyes.

"It is time at last," one of the crusaders told the two maesters, "We must tell the Al Bhed waiting outside to begin the operation at once. The fiends may break through." He looked at Yuna and the group. "This place is not safe. Make sure you're prepared to defend yourselves. Tell me when you're ready."

"We're ready," Yuna said in a strong voice.

The crusader nodded. "Maester Kinoc. Please."

Kinoc stepped forward on a platform hanging over the ledge of the cliff.

"Will Sin come?" Yuna asked.

"Sin always returns for its spawn," Kinoc replied, "To make sure, we're going to encourage them to call out to it."

"You won't have to. It'll come," Auron said.

"Sin…is my old man. Sin…is…Jecht," Tidus said to himself. Naruto turned to the other blonde.

"Hm? Did you say something Tidus?"

Tidus shook his head. "Oh, uh, nothing. I'm fine, Naruto."

The ground started shake as the cage of the fiends is electrified. The cage was well far enough from the ledge that people watched without the threat of danger. Everyone watched on as the ground continued to shake. Suddenly, the fiends are released...or rather, escaped. Most the crusaders immedietly scattered, trying to capture or kill the fiends that escaped, while others scrambled to move as a massive snake-like beast dropped down, and in front of the group.

The fiend was like a scorpion and a centipede fused together. Its big ugly head hung from the top and a long neck connected to its core, which was open. Small appendages spiked along the back of its neck. Two huge, shield like appendages acted as the arms as they were perpendicular to the neck. Two lower appendages, bigger and bulkier, lay on the very bottom. The name of the fiend…was the Sinspawn Gui.

"Guess we have no choice," Gai murmured as he prepared for battle, the others doing the same.

They watched as the Sinspawn moved towards Kimahri, the head moving so that it hovered right over Kimahri and ghastly green goo came out. Kimahri dodged it just in time, and steam rose where the goo hit the ground.

"Watch out for its head," Lulu warned, "It leaks venom which will poison you." She summoned a spell. "Thundara!" A huge powerful lightening bolt hit the head.

Sparkles appeared at the head, and Tenten was hit with a water spell. She sputtered, trying to regain her breath. "So that's how you wanna play is it?" she gasped. She pulled out a scroll and opened it up, aiming it at the open core. Explosive tags shot out, but didn't hit their target. Instead, one of the shield arms covered the core, and the tags exploded on it. While they did damage, it was nothing major.

"Hmph. That's going to be a problem," Auron observed, "We need to get rid of the head as quickly as we can before we can attack the core. Aerial attacks, while the rest of us cut through these shield arms."

"Heh, aerial attacks are more my style," Wakka smirked and chucked his blitzball at the head. A satisfying smack was heard as the ball rebounded back.

Sand started to appear and formed into chunks of hard rock. They suddenly flung themselves at the head, doing damage. Tidus's overdrive was ready, and he did a flip while bringing his sword down upon the arm.

"Tenten, Sai, Gaara, you go for aerial attacks as well. The rest of us, destroy those shields!" Gai ordered.

Sai had his tigers attack the head, while Tenten pulled out more scrolls. Lulu and Wakka alternated attacks. Auron, Kimahri, and Tidus all attacked one arm, while Naruto, Sakura, Gai, and Lee had the other. Shikamaru was able to time his shadow jutsu attacks to interrupt the rhythm the fiend had, while Neji found that his Right Trigrams Palm Revolving Heaven could nullify any of the spells the head threw at them, and went to protect anyone who was targeted. Gai and Lee used their strong taijutsu while Naruto summoned two clones and prepared a rasengan, but Sakura quickly stopped him.

"No, you can't!" she told him, "You need to conserve your chakra. Allow me." She cracked her knuckles. She infused chakra in her fist and charged at the arm. "SHANNARO!" She hit the arm, and it faded into pyreflies.

"Alright Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered. He looked over just in time to see Auron deliver the final blow to the other arm.

"Attack the core, now!" Auron shouted.

And everyone did. That is until the creature used its ground arms to attack. And then, it glowed and sparkle. The center opened up and a purple and black explosion happened in front of everyone, damaging them.

Naruto grunted in pain. "What was that?"

"A gravitation attack, Demi," Lulu panted, "it throws ¼ of our strength back at each of us."

"I'll perform a grand summon," Yuna said, "Hurry!"

Everyone got up and ran to a safe distance. "Sakura," Gai said, "Can you use this time to heal?" The pink-haired medic nodded and her green chakra covered her hands, ready to heal.

Yuna summoned Ifrit, and commanded the aeon to use Hellfire. The damage was enough to kill the head, which turned a sickening, grey blue. The Sinspawn retaliated with a physical attack, and another demi spell. Ifrit hunched over, showing how much damage it's taken. Yuna gently commanded it to launch a meteor strike, but another physical strike from the Sinspawn brought Ifrit to its knees as it started to turn transparent and pyreflies left the body.

By this point, everyone was healed (remotely well), and ready for action. But when they quickly got into position, they were surprised when the arms suddenly appeared again.

"This could be a long battle, and time isn't something we have," Auron thought out loud, "We need something strong to deliver a finishing blow to the core while we keep the arms at bay."

"I can do it," Naruto stated, "Just give me an opening, and I'll do it!"

Gai closed his eyes with a smirk. "Alright gang, we have our orders. Let's take this thing down!"

Everybody fought with as much energy as they had. Yuna was able to protect people from at least water and fire spells with Nullfrost and Nullblaze. But the arms came back quicker than the first. They kept at it until finally, it seemed that the arms needed time to rejuvenate.

"Now Naruto!" Shikamaru cried.

Naruto already had two clones besides him, and they hurried to make the ball of chakra. Everyone's eyes widened as they saw the arms begin to reappear. Shikamaru looked at the sky, searching for some light.

"No!" Auron shouted.

But Shikamaru was quick. "Lulu, can you sustain a fire spell?" he called to her.

"I don't know," the black mage replied, "but I can try." With that she released a fire spell, but instead of dyeing out, it stayed floating in midair. Shikamaru saw the shadow it casted. Perfect, he smirked. He ran over to the shadow and crouched to the ground. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!" The shadow moved and caught the fiend right when the arms had completely appeared. The fiend stilled, core out in the open. Sweat appeared on Shikamaru's forehead. He wasn't used to an enemy this size and strength, and putting up a good fight.

"Do it, man! Go! Now!" he said through clenched teeth.

And with that, Naruto charged towards the core, the rasengan shining brightly in his hand. He threw it at the core, and bright flash lit the area. When the light died down, they saw the neck of the Sinspawn hunched over, and the head touching the ground. It wasn't dead, but it was clearly incapacitated.

"We did it!" Tenten cried, but stopped as Lee put a hand on her shoulder.

"For now," he told her. He looked ahead at the sea. "The battle is only beginning."

Everyone else looked out at the sea and gasped. A dark shadow crept through the serene blue color, like sludge in water. A huge wave was seen, as something came above the water.

Sin.

From below, they could hear and feel the anxiety and tension that the chocobos had. Their cries filled the air.

"Let's go!" they heard Captain Lucil shout.

Sin's sat there, as the massive beast he was.

"Fire!" someone cried, and the Al Bhed cannons that Wakka had kicked were fired. Neji looked on with the Byakugan to see what was happening, and gasped at what he saw. The cannons hit their target, but each hit caused chunks of Sin's skin to fall to the ocean below. Sinscales, similar to what they had fought on the boat to Killika except they looked more like jellyfish. As the sinscales headed towards the beach, they heard Lucil give a cry and lead the Chocobo knights towards the beach line.

Yuna and the group looked on, in fear, surprise, and awe.

"Look out!" Auron suddenly cried. Everyone moved.

A large barrier of energy surrounded Sin: The barrier extending outwards, as if moving like the aftermath of a bomb. The barrier headed towards the beach reachee the Chocobo knights who were fighting the sinscales fearlessly. Everything the barrier touched instantly disintegrated, turning into particles. The huge barrier continued to expand, reaching the area where Yuna, her guardians, and the shinobi had been.

######

Yuna woke up, face down on the ground. She looked up, and saw the Sinspawn Gui, alive and mad. But Seymour was there, alone, holding the Sinspawn from rampaging. She stood up, and looks to her side to see Auron, who walked over to Seymour. She followed.

Seymour saw her behind him. He mustered up his strength, and pushed the Sinspawn back. He looked over at Yuna. "Stand back, Lady Yuna."

She looked at him, meekly. "Y-Yes."

Seymour was in the middle, Yuna and Auron flanking his sides. Yuna watched in awe as Seymour was able to disable the head and one of the arms with the strongest spells known to a mage. Auron quickly dispatched the other. But before either of the two could make an attack on the core, a man approached them, standing next to Yuna. She looked at him and gasped.

"You! The man I met in Luca!"

The man looked at her lazily, before summoning, what looked like blue electricity to Yuna, in his hand. It started to get bigger, more sporadic, and the man disappeared in the blink of an eye, startling Yuna and gaining interest from Seymour and Auron.

"LIGHTNING BLADE!"

A flash filled Yuna's sight, and when she blinked, she saw the Sinspawn fading into pyreflies, the man's fist out as if it had punched it. He stepped back and turned to look at Yuna, his eye crinkling as he raised his hand in a greeting.

"Yo."

Yuna smiled, before remember what was at hand. "The others!" she cried before running to the edge of the cliff, facing Sin. She turned to her left and saw the huge Al Bhed machina that looked like a watchtower.

The Al Bhed inside aimed the weapon at Sin as the machina started gaining energy. They do some calculations with rulers and one of them slammed his hand on a button, and an energy blast was shot towards the barrier on the barrier. Yuna clasped her hands as she started to pray, Maester Seymour behind her. Sin's barrier held, and started extending, while the Al Bhed set it so that more power got pumped out. Part of the barrier began to sneak towards the tower, and in a speedy blast, the tower blew up, and Sin's barrier disappeared. Yuna cried out as the tower went down, crashing and destroying the land below.

Sin turned around to submerge itself in the water and swam away. Yuna looked on, in shock at what happened.

######

A loud rumbling was heard. Debris was everywhere. Among it, Naruto was lying face down. He groaned and struggled to lift his head. When he did, he saw the beach littered with corpses, pyreflies everywhere. His eyes widened as he slowly got to his knees and stood up. He was speechless. Naruto heard some movement and saw Sakura, Sai, Tidus, and Shikamaru get up a couple feet away from him. When Sakura's eyes focused, she gasped and covered her mouth.

"How…what…" but that was all she could get out. Sai's expression was grave while Shikamaru's was solemn.

"We should look for survivors," the genius suggested.

They searched the entire beach, high and low, before coming across Gatta. He was tucked in a corner, hands on his head as if trying to wake up from a dream.

"What's...going on? "Why? What?" he whimpered. He threw his hands down on the ground as he started yelling. "What's going on!"

Tidus's ears heard the sound of a splash and he turned to watch Sin swim away. He started to run to the ocean. "Don't you run away from me!" He dove in the water and swam after the gigantic creature, Naruto and his teammates yelling at him to stop.

High on a cliff, Yuna was still watching what was happening.

"Everyone, stand back! I'll summon!" she yelled.

"You won't hurt it," Seymour told her. She gave a small intake of breath. "Your powers are still...too weak," he said in a gentler tone.

Yuna looked back at him with sad eyes, "But I…must do something!" Seymour only shook his head. Still, Yuna stood at the edge of the cliff, staff in hand, and she began to summon.

"You can't!" Seymour said to her in a firm tone, and she stopped.

Back at the ocean, Tidus had long stopped swimming, and was just floating aimlessly along the surface. He was unaware of his surroundings, too caught up with all the events. He didn't hear Naruto and Shikamaru running towards him along the water's surface, nor did he feel them pick him and up and head back to the beach.

"How many died today?" Tidus whispered, "People die, and Yuna dances. When will she stop dancing? When will it stop? Yuna won't stop dancing—not until Sin is gone."

"I see you're still here."

Tidus opened his eyes. He sat up and looked at Auron who was leaning against a pile of debris.

Auron pushed off the piece of debris and walked towards him. "Many stories ended here today…but...yours goes on, I see." He then left.

Tidus scrunched his face and stood up "What?" He moved to follow and caught up with the older man, who was speaking to Kinoc.

"A swift retreat," Auron said dryly, "Satisfied?"

"What do you mean?" Kinoc said innocently.

Auron glared at the pudgy man. "Those who turned from Yevon died while the faithful live on."

"The past ten years have changed you, I see," Kinoc shook his head and walked away, only to run into Yuna and exchange the prayer gesture. Seymour was also with her.

"You do not look so well," he observed, "But now more than ever, you must be the people's strength, their confidence." She whimpered, as if she were about to cry. "Anyone else would be expected to show their sorrow. But you...are a summoner. You are Spira's hope. Until Sin is defeated, you must not relent. Do you understand?"

Yuna wiped at her face. "Yes. I understand."

Seymour stepped closer to her. "Are you afraid?" She smiled sadly at him, telling him he was right. "Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength," he said to her, his eyes passionate, "As Yunalesca had her lord Zaon. Lady Yuna. Until next we meet, farewell."

"Sin is Jecht," Auron said to Tidus.

"Yeah, for a while there, I thought I could feel him. But that doesn't mean I believe you."

"Sin is Jecht," Auron repeated, "He came here for you."

Tidus snorted, "So he killed all those people just for a chance to see me?"

Auron looked out at the sea. "That's what Sin does," he explained, "He wanted to show that to you. Do you know why?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

Auron paused before answering,

"So you would kill him."

Tidus looked at Auron, hard. "As long as he is Sin, Jecht will keep killing," Auron continued, "He wants you to stop him."

"You gotta be kidding," Tidus said in disbelief, "How do you know all of this, anyway?"

But the older guardian just laughed as he walked away. Tidus pouted. "I'm not done talking to you! Don't you run away!"

"You're the one running," Auron said over his shoulder.

Tidus followed Auron until he met up with Yuna and the other guardians. The shinobi were gathered close to each other, some of them sitting, while others standing.

Team Gai had been thrown back from the impact, but they were still standing. Sore, but still standing. Gaara's sand managed to protect him, and while he too was thrown back, he remained unscathed. That left Team 7 and Shikamaru, still shaken up at what happened. All the shinobi were. Sure they had been in wars, but this was a totally new experience. To be plagued by something that long, to be that desperate…they couldn't even fathom. When they saw Tidus, they stood up. Yuna led the group towards Djose Temple. Everyone followed but Kimahri, Tidus, and Naruto.

"Hey, you three! Hurry up!" Yuna happily called back to them.

Tidus put a hand on his hips. "She's awfully cheerful."

Kimahri looked at Tidus, then back at Yuna. "In dark times she must be. She must shine bright." Tidus and Naruto just gave him a blank look. "Now are dark times. Yuna tries hard."

Naruto nodded, "We should help her, then."

"If we worry, she tries harder," Kimahri said, "Do not frown."

"Don't worry, be happy?" Tidus suggested as the three started walking.

"Kimahri try, too."

Tidus stopped walking. "Smile! Let me see." Naruto looked eager as well.

Kimahri crossed his arms and tried smiling. His mouth opened up: it looks more like a cat who was going to hiss at you than a smile. Naruto busted out laughing while Tidus sighed and muttered "sad."

Naruto caught up to the rest of his teammates as the group made their way to Djose Temple. He walked next to Gaara. "Hey Gaara, back when this whole thing started, what were you going to say?" The red-head looked at him. "We were trying to figure out what that Kinoc guy meant," Naruto prodded.

Gaara's eyes widened in realization. "I was going to say that it meant…that Kinoc already knew that the operation wasn't going to work," he said.

Shikamaru grunted. "Figures. The way he and Sir Auron were going at it…" he trailed off.

"But why were they ok with doing the operation in the first place?" Neji pondered, "it's almost as if they were _planning _a massacre from the beginning. They already knew how powerful Sin was."

"Whatever it is, we're just going to have to keep our heads up and continue on this journey," Sakura said, "After all, _we _all got out alive."

**A/N:** Yesssss! Another chapter down! I'm have really high hopes in finishing this fanfic, which would make this my first fanfic finish EVER! You know the drill, favorite/alert this story if you like it! And if you loved it and have the time to spare, please review! I've been working hard on this...staying up at 3:00 to write and edit XD


	10. Djose Temple, Moonflow, Rikku?

**A/N**: I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy.

jgresidentevil – Thank you so much! Final Fantasy X is definitely my favorite one out of the bunch. Then VII and VIII, and XIII, but X is the easiest to follow. Thanks for reviewing!

BOBOBOBO – I was totally waiting for your review. I kept checking my email hoping it was you who reviewed (not that I didn't appreciate you other views). My favorite part was being able to play Seymour. He was like….GOD at that point. Too bad you couldn't summon Anima though :/ Over 9000 eh? ;)

**Chapter 10**

The group stopped at a fork in the road. The left side was a dirt path, while the right side had some brick pavement.

Tidus groaned. "Hey! How much longer till Zanarkand?"

"Still a ways," Wakka replied.

"First down the Moonflow to the Guado city of Guadosalam…" Lulu explained, "Then we cross the Thunder Plains to the temple of Macalania."

"Oh, boy," Shikamaru sighed.

Yuna's laughter filled the air. "And before that, we get to pray at the temple in **Djose**!" she said in a sing-song voice.

A dog walked up to Sakura, and she started petting it. The dog was medium sized, had a brown-orange coat with a white middle ring. Sakura remembered seeing a dog of the same breed in Besaid. It licked her hand and barked at her, tail wagging. Sakura laughed as she and the dog played tag. Something about the dog reminded her of Kakashi.

'_Probably the fact that it's a dog, '_Sakura thought.

"We can't just skip all that?" Naruto huffed, "Can we?"

Yuna shook her head. "I have to pray to the fayth in every temple in order to earn the Final Aeon," she explained.

"That's a summoner's training," Wakka added, "She's gotta prepare mind and body, all just to get ready for the Final Summoning."

Tidus looked at the summoner. "Must be tough, Yuna." She shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine with you here!"

Naruto gave Tidus a knowing look and a nudge. Yuna took the path that was to the right, everyone following. Auron was the last person. "Hey, new guy," he called to Tidus as he passed by.

Tidus looked around and pointed to himself. "Uh...me?"

"Who else?"

Tidus gave him his full attention. "What can I do for you, boss?"

"Don't tell Yuna you know about Sin and Jecht." The boy was silent. "You know her...she would…distance herself from you." Auron made a move to go. "We do not want that."

Tidus crossed his arms, and put a finger to his chin. "I see, I think." He put them down. "Yeah, but even if I did say something, no one would believe me, you know?"

"Yuna would."

"Ah...you have a point," Tidus agreed. He thought for a moment. "Come to think of it...did I really have to know about Jecht? What about _my_ feelings?"

"Better than you finding out at a critical moment, becoming emotional."

Tidus gave the old guardian an incredulous look. "What? Me, emotional?"

Auron started to leave. "I heard you were quite the crybaby," he chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, maybe when I was a kid," Tidus said under his breath. His shoulders slumped. "Maybe even a little now. Just a little." He snapped out of his stupor.  
>"Hey!" he called out to Auron, "I still don't buy your story, you hear?" He followed the older guardian and met up with the group. Yuna was talking to Naruto and the other shinobi. He watched as Naruto burst into a bundle of energy.<p>

"WHAT? You saw Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto exclaimed. Sakura and Sai were equally excited.

"Yes, during Operation Mi'ihen. He saved Auron, Maester Seymour, and I from the Sinspawn after Sin's attack," Yuna nodded, "I remembered him from Luca."

"I thought I felt his chakra," Gai mused, a hand under his chin.

Sakura nudged Shikamaru who put his hands up in defense. "I told you I saw him," she stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm so relieved that he's okay."

"But…if he was at the operation…why didn't he seek us out?" Sai asked. Naruto and Sakura looked at him. "Wouldn't it make sense to at least check in with us?" the ROOT member asked.

Sakura's green eyes filled with sadness. "Yeah, you're right," she spoke in a quiet tone, "It's like he's avoiding us…" she stopped as Naruto put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan. When we get to him, Sai and I will hold him down while you punch him to smithereens," he cheered her up. She smiled. "I promise we _will _find him."

Her smiled had a sad tint to it as he said those worse. Promise. Such a burdensome word, and she knew them all too well. Even Gaara's eyes were filled with emotion.

"Ugly…you seem to be worried about Kakashi an awful lot," Sai commented, "I read that extensive worrying over the opposite sex is a sign of a deep bond of friendship that usually leads to something more."

"Did he just call Lady Sakura, ugly?" Yuna asked quietly.

"Long story," Shikamaru sighed and rubbed his forehead.

Sakura's face immedietly reddened. "Well I…I _do_ care about Kakashi-sensei. But I…I…I don't…" she stuttered, getting more flustered by the minute. She suddenly became stiff and silent, allowing her hair to make a curtain around her face. She huffed and crossed her arms, turning away from the prying eyes.

A cry tore through the air and Gai was quick to comfort his star pupil. Lee was down onto his knees, crocodile tears flowing from his eyes. "How can this be Gai-sensei? Has the Leaf Village's blossom found her true heart?" the he cried.

"Lee, my rival's hip and cool ways have attracted her youthful heart," Gai consoled the boy, "But do not give up! The power of youth flows hard within you! You fight for her! Spring has not sprung yet!"

Steam rose from Sakura's head as she started walking—stomping—away from the group.

"Are they always like this?" Lulu asked in a dull voice. Yuna giggled as Wakka just scratched his head in confusion.

"Sadly," Tenten sighed, crossing her arms. Neji had an unamused look on his face as well. What he and Tenten had to put up with for all these years.

"Who's Kakashi?" Tidus asked.

"Kakashi is our sensei, our teacher, the same way Gai is with Lee, Tenten, and Neji," Sai explained, "I…wasn't part of the original team. In fact, I'm a replacement."

"What happened to the original member?" Auron asked.

Sadness filled the air. Yuna watched with worried eyes as she saw Sai's other two teammates stiffen. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she said carefully.

Sakura took a deep breath and exhaled. "His name was Sasuke, and he left our team, betrayed our village, in order to pursue a path of revenge." Yuna nodded her head understandingly as everyone else focused on the pink-haired girl. Team Gai stood off absentmindedly with Shikamaru and Gaara, already knowing the facts and story. Naruto watched his teammate, pride and awe, as she told the story. He didn't expect Sakura to speak, nevertheless hold up so well while telling the story.

"His whole clan, family, was massacred when he was a young boy. The person who did it, was his own older brother, Itachi," Sakura continued, "Itachi and Sasuke were close, as all siblings are, and instead of killing Sasuke, Itachi let him live. He let him live, in hopes of motivation Sasuke to become stronger, so that one day, Sasuke could kill him."

"That's horrible," Yuna said, her brow furrowed, "Why would anyone do that?"

"That's pretty messed up," Wakka commented.

"And it worked. Sasuke's obsession was power and revenge. All he cared about was power, and even teamed up with the most evil, twisted, sick man that everyone hated. I…I tried to stop him from leaving the village," her voice cracked, "Even saying that I would betray the village as well if it meant that he would stay…but…in the end…I was…too weak." Tears were making its way down her cheek.

"You, are not weak," Auron spoke up, surprising the kounoichi, "Far from it. In contrast, Sasuke is the weak one, for not being able to resist the temptation of power. Instant gratification."

Sakura flinched as the older guardian called her former teammate weak, and even Naruto felt a small rage bubble up within him. But they both know he spoke the truth.

"I promised Sakura-chan that I would do everything in my power to bring Sasuke back," Naruto said, "But when the time came…when we _did_ meet up…he tried to kill me, and even attempted at Sakura-chan."

"Hmph, some teammate," Tidus said while crossing his arms.

"Where is he now?" Lulu asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. He ended up betraying that man, and even killed him. Itachi's still out there. I would guess he's still on the lookout," Naruto said.

"He's deemed a traitor, and as such, he is sentenced to death if anyone finds him," Gaara said.

"Now wait a minute—" Naruto began, but Gaara cut him off.

"The Leaf village may be lenient, Naruto, but to the other villages he is a threat," Gaara said in a firm voice, "And as Kazekage I can not afford to put my people in danger."

Silence filled the air.

"Well," Yuna exhaled, "Shall we head to the temple of Djose?" And the grouped continued on the path. There were a couple brick bridges, and on one of them, were the Chocobo Knights. But there was only one chocobo. Captain Lucil was with Elma and Clasko.

"Yuna," Lucil greeted upon seeing the summoner, "it is good to see you and your companions are well."

Yuna gestured to captain. "Yourselves as well, Captain. We were worried. Praise be to Yevon!"

Lucil nodded, "We escaped with our lives, but our troops were decimated."

Elma was petting the lone chocobo, who looked kind of sad, if not, shocked and stressed at what it had just been put through. "Of all our chocobos, only this one made it," she said.

"We make pretty poor Chocobo Mounted Forces without chocobos," Clasko added gravely.

"We turned our backs on the teachings and cast away our faith," Lucil said, "This...this is our just reward." She looked so hurt and lost.

The group continued on their way, and reached the temple. The ground was quaking, as if an earthquake were happening.

"Is that the Djose temple?" Tidus asked?

A large pillar of stone was front of them, electricity flying out of the top. The stones exploded into large chunks, revealing the temple. The chunks, boulders, were flying in mid-air. Strands of electricity were shooting from one boulder to the other.

"Awesome!" Naruto grinned.

"The Lightning Mushroom Rock," Lulu explained, "It only opens when a summoner is addressing the fayth."

Sakura's eyes watched the electricity, reminding her of Kakashi's well-known technique. Her eyes wandered around, observing the rocks and surroundings. She spotted a dog nearby and her eyes widened as she recognized it's orange coloration.

"That means another summoner's already in there," Wakka said with his brow furrowed.

Yuna looked at him. "Another summoner?"

"What if it's Dona?" Tidus asked.

Everyone began to panic.

"We have to hurry," Yuna said quickly.

Tidus nodded. "Right! In we go!"

They entered the Djose temple, no one noticing the dog following them. The door to the Cloister of Trials opened revealing a man in a blue robe, followed by a kid and another man. They walked down the staircase.

"I beg your pardon, but may I ask your name?" the blue-robed man asked her.

Yuna bowed and did the prayer gesture. "I am Summoner Yuna, from the isle of Besaid."

The man's eyes filled with surprise and excitement. "As I thought! The daughter of Lord Braska. You have the look of your father."

"My father? You knew him?"

"No, I have never met the man," he laughed, "Ah, my apologies. I am Isaaru. I am a summoner, like you."

The little kid walked up in front of the man, facing Yuna. "I'm Pacce. Pleased to meet you."

"And I'm Maroda," The other man spoke, "I'm guarding my big brother here."

Isaaru nodded. "Since I was a child, I've always looked up to Lord Braska," he said to Yuna, "I wished I would someday become a high summoner like he was. You must have some of your father's talent in you!" His eyes held hope and pride. "I believe you might someday defeat Sin."

Yuna flushed as she shook her head sheepishly. "I...I'm not really...I've only just become a summoner."

Isaaru laughed. "Of course, I've not intention of losing, either. So perhaps we should race to see who can defeat Sin first, no?"

Yuna considered it for a moment. "Very well, then. I accept your challenge."

"Isaaru!"

They all looked to see Maroda and Pacce by the entrance.

Isaaru looked back at Yuna. "Yuna, I beg your leave. Good luck, to both of us!"

Yuna smiled. "Yes."

Isaaru, Maroda, and Pacce left the temple as Yuna and her group headed towards the Cloister of Trials.

"All right! Guardians, at attention!" Wakka said as they started gathering before the entrance of the trials.

Yuna nodded. "We are ready."

Wakka punched his hand in the air. "All right…let's do it!"

"Hold on," one of the priests called out to the group. They all turned around.

"What is it?" Yuna said.

"The dog can't go. In fact, it's not allowed in the temple."

"What dog?" Wakka pursed his lips.

The priest pointed to the dog that was at the bottom of the staircase behind Tidus, who scratched his head. How did he _not_ notice the dog? Sakura sighed. Her teammates looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I saw the dog earlier. I played with it back where the path split," she said, "I didn't notice it had followed us until we got to the temple, but I didn't think it would follow us _in_."

"One of us should take it back out," Auron said.

Silence filled the air.

"Don't everybody volunteer at once," Tidus said while crossing his arms.

Still silence.

"I guess I'll do it," Sakura sighed, "It's more familiar with me anyway." She walked down the stairs passing Tidus on the way. The dog, upon seeing Sakura, perked its floppy ears up and wagged its tail enthusiastically. "Yeah, I missed you too, buddy," Sakura muttered dryly.

"Sakura," Yuna called out, "Um…"

Sakura gave her a reassure smile. She knew Yuna needed to go complete the trials. "Don't worry, I'll meet you guys in the Chamber of Fayth." Yuna hesitated, but smiled and went through the doors, everyone else following.

"We'll wait for you inside Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned at her, before he and the other shinobi followed them.

Sakura looked down at the dog, which had sat, tail still wagging. "Well," she said, "come on, you." She headed towards the exit, dog at her heels. "You know, you're too trusting. I could be an enemy for all you care."

The dog huffed as if saying "yeah right."

When she opened the door, the dog rushed out, barking along the way. She watched as it ran up to a man a couple feet from her and sat in front of him, panting, and tail happily wagging. Sakura sighed as she shielded her eyes from the sun. "You should really keep an eye on your dog, mister!" she called out to the man, "Nice dog, though!" The man, whether he heard her or not, didn't appear to acknowledge her. She saw his hand reach out to pet the dog.

Shaking her head, Sakura turned around to go back in when a voice stopped her.

"Hey, you." She turned around. Isaaru and his brothers were walking towards her.

"Me?"

"You are Yuna's guardian, no?" Isaaru asked, and she nodded, "Maroda's heard a curious rumor. I thought you should know."

"I heard it from those Crusaders. Seems that summoners have been going out on pilgrimage and just...disappearing" Maroda explained

"Disappearing?" Sakura echoed, worry etched across her face.

"It could just be the fiends got them... but not so many so quickly," Isaaru said with a hand to his chin.

Maroda gave an apologetic look to Sakura. "Sorry I don't know more, but…watch your back." He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ain't much future for a guardian without a summoner, eh?"

Pacce jumped up and down anxiously. "What? What? Whatcha all talkin' 'bout?"

Maroda peered down at the youngest brother and smiled. "We're talking about doing your job as a guardian!"

Pacce grinned. "Hey, I'm doing good! Right, big brother?" He looked up at Isaaru who gave him a warm smile, and nodded.

"Please, be careful," Isaaru told Sakura, his face serious again.

Sakura nodded her head. "Will do! Thanks for telling me."

They started walking away, but Pacce stayed a bit longer, looking at Sakura with interest.

"Pacce!" Isaaru called out to his brother.

The young boy turned around. "Oh…what?"

"We're leaving!"

"Be right there!" Pacce turned to Sakura, "See ya, pretty lady!"

Sakura's cheeks reddened at the compliment as she smiled and waved to the boy. A loud bark startled her and she looked down to see the dog again. She put a hand on her hips, and it barked before running back to the man. Sakura's eyes followed the dog and narrowed at the man. She sighed.

"Sir, you really need to watch you're dog," she said as she started walking towards him, "Or at least train him." She got closer. "I mean really, he's a nice dog and all, but he's far too trusting. He could go off with anyone, and they could take them!" She noticed him reading a book. "Are you even listening to me?" A tiny orange book.

Wait a minute.

She blinked.

Orange book.

She took a closer look at the man. An orange book with "Icha Icha Paradise" written on the cover, white hair that was messily being held back by a Leaf head-protector, that was slanted to cover an eye, and a black mask that covered 90% of his face. And his uncovered eye which was crinkled as he smiled beneath the mask.

"Yo, Sakura-chan."

Her eyes widened. "Kakashi-sensei!"

He barely had enough time to put the little orange book away before she jumped on him, arms wrapped around his torso, hugging him tightly. "Thank kami, you're okay," she mumbled through his vest. His expression softened as he returned the hug.

They pulled away from each other. Kakashi looked at his ex-student as she smiled brightly at him. He eyed her suspiciously.

Something's off about that smile…

"YOU JERK!"

Kakashi found himself rubbing a very, very, sore spot on his chest. He put his hands in front of him. "Now, now, Sakura…" But she cut him off.

"How dare you not come to Naruto, Sai, and I! We were worried about you!" she shouted at him. She looked away. "I understand that you wanted to figure something out on your own at first, but couldn't you have at least checked in, or at least, tell us your plan?"

Kakashi sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura," he told her, "I know should've have come straight to you when I saw you guys."

"When?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

Kakashi looked away, before looking back at her. "Luca," he said sheepishly. Sakura groaned.

"I knew that was you who Yuna talked to," she said, "But I wasn't sure…where did you end up appearing?"

"Luca. I appeared in Luca. I figured that the beast transported us to a different world," he explained, "When it was obvious that I was alone, I started gathering information."

"Did you see Gaara?"

Kakashi lifted his head in thought. "Not directly, but I knew he must have sensed me there."

Sakura nodded absentmindedly. "I worried about you Kakashi, especially after what happened during Operation Mi'ihen. Seeing Sin's true power…"

"That's not his power," Kakashi said in a serious tone, "Not even close." Sakura gave him a curious looked. "This beast has the power to destroy a whole city within seconds. And these people believe that once they've 'atoned for their sins,' it will go away."

Sakura nodded as she remembered seeing Killika. Her eyes grew sad. "I know," she said in a quiet voice, "When we were heading to Killika, we ran into Sin along the way. The whole place was in ruins. But seeing the results of the operation…" she trailed off. They were silent for a while. "I'm guessing you know everything, then."

Kakashi's eye crinkled. "Well, not _everything_," he teased, "But probably more than what the rest of you know."

"So you know about fiends and all that jazz?"

"Mm-hm."

A whimper interrupted their conversation. They both looked down at the dog who was looking at them. They looked at each other and laughed.

"So...is this one with you?" Sakura asked.

"Not really…I promised him a treat if he got you to come to me," The Copy-Nin replied.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Me?"

Kakashi looked back at her. "Well, Naruto wouldn't bother following the dog, and neither would Sai. You always were my brightest student. My favorite."

"Favorite student my ass, sensei. Considering the fact that you never once paid attention to me with the other two?" Sakura said dryly.

Kakashi's eye filled with pain. "I know I didn't give you more attention as I should've, Sakura. But please know that the only reason why I gave the other two attention was because they _needed_ it. You were quite fine without me, as seen with your perfect chakra control." He looked over at the temple. "And please, I haven't been your sensei in a while. You and Naruto have long surpassed me."

Sakura sighed. "Naruto's probably wondering where I am, let's go inside." She headed towards the entrance of the temple, Kakashi by her side.

"So, what are you and Naruto up to?" Kakashi asked as they walked.

"Well," Sakura began, "Naruto and I have decided to become the guardians of a summoner." Kakashi hummed. "Her name's Yuna, and her father destroyed Sin 10 years ago. Not only that, but Lee and his team, Shikamaru, Gaara, and Gai-sensei have also joined us."

"Hmm…Gai is with you? I'm sure that's made your journey…exciting." They entered the temple.

"Mm-hm. We think that some got transported here in Spira, but not in the same place," Sakura continued, "Since we don't know our way around, we decided to tag-along with Yuna. The whole guardian thing was just a…bonus."

They walked up the staircase and through the entrance to the trials. Sakura was greeted by her blonde-haired teammate.

"_There_ you are Sakura-chan! I was worried when you didn't show up. I was just about to come get—" he looked at the man beside her. His eyes widened. "Ka…Kakashi-sensei."

"You're looking well, Naruto."

A blur of orange streaked passed Sakura as the blonde engulfed the older nin in a bear hug. Sai had appeared, wondering what the rukus was about. His eyes widened as he saw Kakashi.

"I'm so glad you're okay! Now we're a complete team again!" Naruto cried as he released his former teacher.

"Nice to see you, Kakashi-senpai," Sai smiled.

"So, where is this Chamber of Fayth?" Kakashi's eye crinkled.

The three led him to a room. They took a lift, walked through a doorway.

"This was all a puzzle, but we already figured it out," Naruto explained as Kakashi looked around with interest.

They walked up the stairs that led them to the Chamber of Fayth.

"There you are," Neji said as he saw them, "What took you so long…oh."

"Kakashi," Shikamaru greeted.

"Ah, well if it isn't my rival," Gai smirked.

Lee glowered at the Copy-nin. "Kakashi! I challenge you…for the heart of the Leaf Village's blossom, Sakura Haruno!"

Kakashi shot a confused eye at Sakura, whose face turned bright red. She quickly punched the fuzzy-browed boy. "Stop that!" she hissed before crossing her arms, "At any rate, you certainly can't do anything in here."

"Another one?" Wakka asked, "How many people you guys looking for?"

"As many as we can find," Naruto answered, "We don't know how many people got transferred."

"I will shut you up if I have to, now be quiet," Lulu threatened the group.

There was a pregnant pause.

"So…how long do we wait?" Kakashi asked.

"As long as it takes," Auron answered.

At that moment, another summoner and her guardian walked in. Kakashi looked at her, eyeing her clothing.

"Well, well. You again," Dona said as she observed the guardians, "Still travelling with quite the crowd, I see."

Barthello walked over to Auron and put his hands on his hips.

"What is it, Barthello? You know this riffraff?" Dona raised her brow.

"You are...Auron, no?" The muscleman asked.

"What of it?" the older guardian said behind his sunglasses.

Barthello started posing, as if he were a man in a magazine. "Can...I shake your hand? Auron-no, Sir Auron. You're the reason I became a guardian!" he gushed. Auron chuckled and extended his hand. "Thank you, sir! This means so much to me!"

"Calling the personal guardian to Lord Braska riffraff?" Wakka grunted.

"And you call yourself a summoner?" Lulu added.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed.

Dona could feel the pressure. "Barthello, enough! Get back here!" she called to her guardian.

They all heard the door to the Chamber of Fayth open, and saw Yuna slowly walk out. She fell to her knees, and Kimahri ran to her side to hold her and help her up. She met up with Dona at the end of the stairs.

"You owe much to your father," the other summoner said to her, "All these guardians... and Sir Auron, too? And I hear Maester Seymour's quite taken with you. The world must look different when you're the daughter of Lord Braska."

"This has nothing to do with my father!" Yuna defended herself, "I am travelling on my own, as a full-fledged summoner!"

Dona scoffed. "Oh, is that so? Then try standing on your own two legs for once."  
>She approached the door to the chamber.<p>

"Your guardians won't be able to protect you when the time comes."

She entered the chamber and the door closed. Naruto glared at the spot where Dona had once been, and looked back at Yuna. What did she mean 'when the time comes?' That time was when Yuna would face Sin, right? Why wouldn't they be able to protect her? He looked at his teammates who all had the same questioning look. All, but Gaara, who had a stoic expression.

"We sleep here, and leave tomorrow morning," Auron said, before leaving.

######

Everyone was asleep, except for the shinobi. They were all outside the temple with the stars and the moon as their only source of light. Shikamaru, Naruto, and Sai were all sitting down while the rest were standing.

"So Kakashi, what have you been able to find out?" Gai asked.

"Well," Kakashi said, "Let me think, I've heard that the Al Bhed are kidnapping summoners."

"Strange," Sakura said, "Isaaru just warned me about summoners disappearing. You think the Al Bhed are behind it?"

"Shocker," Shikamaru sarcastically said through a yawn, "Yuna was already captured once back in Luca."

"I thought they wanted Sin gone? Why destroy those who have the power to destroy it?" Tenten question.

"I'm with ya. I thought the Al Bhed wanted Sin gone," Naruto agreed.

"I'm not fluent in Al Bhed, but I've picked up some words," Kakashi explained, "It seems that they didn't want any more summoners dying."

Neji's eyes narrowed. "Why would the Al Bhed want to kidnap summoners? What's the point? If the guardians did their jobs, then the summoner wouldn't die in the first place."

"That would explain why the Al Bhed decided to go with the operation," Gai said.

Gaara walked up to the Copy-nin with the small machina in tow. "You wouldn't happen to know how to make this work, would you?"

Kakashi examined the machina. He shook his head. "Nope. I may be familiar with the language, but I don't have the brains or instincts of an Al Bhed mechanic."

"We'd better keep a better eye on Yuna then," Sai suggested, "They'll probably try again after losing her."

"Yeah, they'll not only be doing it to protect a summoner, but one of their own as well," Sakura added, "Since she _is_ half Al Bhed."

"Any luck on figuring out how to get us back home?" Naruto asked.

"No…not yet," Kakashi said, "And to be honest…I don't think we'll know until after Sin is defeated. Until then, we keep our morals high and hope nothing dangerous befalls Konoha during our absence."

Shikamaru yawned. "Well…I'm tired. Can we call it a day…night?"

Everyone agreed to go back inside and rest.

"Say Kakashi-sense…Kakashi…Yuna told us that she saw you during the operation. What were you doing since we couldn't find you?" Sakura asked as they walked back in the temple.

Kakashi scratched his head. "Ah, well...you see…I was helping this group of young people escape a cave down in the Mushroom Rockroad," he explained, "Four people. They were going to be gunned down until I stepped in. They're called the Crim—" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"That's a new excuse," Sai commented.

"What! It's true," Kakashi argued.

"Whatever you say, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said as he went to his room.

"Yuna's gonna be so tired tomorrow," Tenten said, "She's up healing the wounded and performing sendings."

######

Tidus found himself the last one to wake up, once again. He walked to the lobby area of the temple, and looked around. He saw Gai and Lee, but no one else.

"They're outside," Gai said.

Tidus walked out of the temple and saw the whole gang, minus Yuna. He walked up to Wakka.

"We're leaving once Yuna gets here," Wakka explained.

Tidus headed back into the temple and into one of the rooms where Yuna was. She was sleeping on the bed. A woman beside the bed noticed him.

"She was working until dawn," she explained, "Healing the wounded, sending the fallen."

Tidus nodded. "Okay…I guess I'll just let her sleep for now, then." Yuna stirred and woke up. She looked at Tidus through groggy eyes.

"Morning!" Tidus said cheerfully.

Yuna shot up. "What? Morning?" She started running around.

"Don't worry!" Tidus assured her.

"But it's morning! I'm so sorry! I-I'll get ready right away! Just a moment!"

"Don't worry!" Tidus said in a calming voice, "It's okay!" He walked out of the temple to join the others. Soon, Yuna came running out.

Wakka waved to her. "Yo! Sleepyhead!"

Yuna gave small, quick bows. "Sorry! I'm so sorry!" She walked up to Auron and Lulu, and bowed. "Please forgive me."

Lulu chuckled. "Really, there's no rush…here, your hair." The older woman started fixing Yuna's hair. Yuna gasped and her hands shot up to her hair.

"A summoner with bed hair!" Wakka teased, "What's the world comin' to?"

Yuna pouted. "You could have woken me up!"

"We called to you, but with all that snoring..." Lulu trailed off.

Some of the shinobi chuckled.

Yuna gasped again, and pouted even harder. "Hmm...what is it today? Everyone's picking on me!" Everyone started laughing except Auron, who laughed after they quieted. Yuna rounded on the older guardian. "You too, Sir Auron?"

Auron peered at her over his sunglasses. "Once Lady Yuna fixes her hair, we leave!"

Kakashi chuckled. "Kind of reminds me when you two were just mere genin," his eye crinkled. He was met by two glowering shinobi.

"You used to throw kunai and shurikens at us in our sleep," Sakura gritted her teeth remember what her former sensei used to do to them for "training."

"Yeah, and throw buckets of cold water on us to wake us up," Naruto added.

"I threw kunai at you for training, and I threw shurikens as for a wake-up call. I threw cold water on you, because the shurikens didn't work," Kakashi said simply, "And besides, it builds character. Just think of how much character you'll have when you all are adults."

"Yeah…if all the character building didn't kill us first," Naruto muttered.

They began to leave the temple. More people had arrived, most likely the survivors of Operation Mi'ihen. Naruto observed the three-tailed monkeys that were standing around. They were cute, but ran away everytime someone would walk up to them. As they were approaching the familiar fork in the road, they ran into the Chocobo Knights. Lucil was atop the chocobo, with Elma by her side.

"Off so early? Lady Yuna, you must be exhausted after working so hard last night. Will you be okay?" Lucil asked.

Yuna nodded. "I feel that I have rested enough. But, thank you for your kindness! Will you be leaving, too?"

"Yes, first we cross the Moonflow, and then we head north in search of chocobos to replace those we have lost."

"Once we find chocobos, our Mounted Forces will ride again!" Elma added.

Tidus was counting. "Aren't you missing someone?" he pointed out. They all turned as they heard someone shouting.

"Captain! Waaaaait for meee!" It was Clasko. He caught up to them, panting and gasping.

"What took you so long? We're leaving!" Elma asked him, her voice sounded frustrated.

"You expect me…to keep up…with a chocobo!" Clasko exclaimed through pants.

Lucil shook her head, slightly embarrassed by her comrade. "Lady Yuna, I wish you good fortune. Elma, Clasko! Let's go!"

Elma saluted her. "Ma'am!"

Clasko looked bewildered. "Eh! C-Can't I just rest a sec...?"

"No complaints!" Elma frowned as Lucil led the chocobo away. Elma and Clasko ran behind.

The group came upon the fork in the road. "Where to next?" Tidus asked.

Lulu turned to him, "We cross the Moonflow."

"Gotcha!" Tidus turned to the other path of the fork, "Moonflow, baby, here we come!"

They continued on the road. Naruto noted that their surroundings seemed similar to the Mi'ihen high road, all green and peaceful. They found a familiar woman running towards them.

"Good day, everyone," she greeted, "We can all learn a lesson from what has happened to the Crusaders. "Only the truly faithful have a hope of defeating Sin."

"Only the faithful, huh?" Shikamaru snorted, "why do I think it's the opposite?"

They walked right passed her. It wasn't long until they came across two other ronso: one grey and one black. Naruto looked at Sakura and Shikamaru as he saw them, and they both had worried looks. They were the same ronso that they had encountered in Luca. The ronso seemed to be talking to a short human, who ran away. The ronsos's eyes followed the human, and noticed Kimahri.

"Look! One of Kimahri's friends. Looks just like him," Biran bellowed, "Both follow summoners on all fours! Hornless goatlings!"

Yenke laughed. "Hornless! Hornless!" he mocked.

Kimahri's face was stern. "You come to insult Kimahri?"

"Wrong," Biran shook his head, "We come to warn little Kimahri."

"Summoners disappear. Never return," Yenke said.

Biran's eyes danced. "Next will be Kimahri's summoner."

"Poor Kimahri! Lost his horn, next lose his summoner!" Yenke echoed.

Biran let out a growl. "Pitiful Kimahri! Howl alone! Howl alone!" He and Yenke laughed as they walked away.

"You just wasted your time!" Naruto hollered after them, "We already knew that!" He clenched his fists.

"Do those two got something against you?" Tidus asked Kimahri, who just shook his head. "What, they were just picking on you?"

"Kimahri will deal with them," the blue ronso spoke.

"And I'll help!" Tidus nodded.

"Me too," Naruto added.

"Kimahri alone."

Tidus and Naruto looked at each other with wide eyes. "But..."

"It's Kimahri's problem," Wakka said with his arms crossed, "We can't interfere: it's a rule."

Lulu was silent the whole time. "I'm worried," she said in a quiet voice.

Wakka turned to her. "Let the Ronso deal with Ronso problems, ya? That's how it's always been."

Lulu put a hand to her forehead. "I mean…I'm worried about those summoners disappearing."

"They aren't just disappearing into thin air," Auron agreed. He turned to Naruto. "You knew about this already? Why didn't you tell us?"

"We were," Sakura rushed, "I meant to tell you last night…but it sorta slipped my mind." The red color of embarrassment filled her cheeks.

Tidus waved her off. "Hey, if we guardians do our job...no problem, right?" he said without hesitation and sincerity.

Wakka gave the boy a look of awe. "Whoa!"

"Confident," Lulu added.

Tidus grinned. "Yeah!"

They continue along the path, which led them through a small thicket.

"Naruto, what is your village like? Where you all are from?" Yuna asked.

"Well, it's called Konoha, or the Village Hidden in the Leaves," Naruto said with his hands behind his head, "And it's…uh…green…and…um…"

"What he means, Lady Yuna," Sakura glared at her teammate, "It's much more crowded compared to Besaid. The houses, apartments, and shops are close together."

"Don't forget the Hokage Monument," Shikamaru added, "It's a huge cliff where the faces of all of the village's leaders are carved in. A reminder to Konoha of its leaders who have protected the village with all their might."

"And the Ninja Academy, the beginning for every shinobi," Tenten smiled.

"The memorial stone," Gai murmured, "A stone where the names of those who died protecting the village are carved." Everyone's eyes darkened as he said that. Sakura noticed Kakashi's aura dampened.

"Wait, you guys are forgetting one important building," Naruto pointed out, "Ichiraku's Ramen shop. Best ramen in the land!" Yuna giggled as Shikamaru and Sakura both sighed at their friend's outburst.

"For the most part, the village is peaceful," Kakashi said, "Everyone goes about their lives without worry…even during times of war. Without us, without shinobi, we would never have peace."

"It sounds wonderful," Yuna sighed, "A world without the fear of…Sin."

"Well, it was…until Sin decided to pop out of the sky," Naruto said humorously.

"But it's not like our world isn't plagued by war and bad people," Sakura pointed out, "I mean…it's nothing like Sin…but we're not in a paradise either.

"Of course," Yuna smiled, "I didn't mean to imply that."

They arrived at the edge of the Moonflow. Naruto stopped and gawked and Sai whipped out his pen and notebook, furiously sketching. The Moonflow was a grey river dotted with water lilies, and numerous pyreflies floating towards the sky.

"This is the Moonflow," Lulu said.

Yuna walked up to the edge of the river and knelt down. "These are moonlilies!" she pointed to the beautiful purple flowers that were floating along the water's surface. Tidus, Naruto, Sakura, and Lee followed her. "They say that clouds of pyreflies gather here when night falls."

"The entire river glows, like a sea of stars," Lulu added.

"Really?" Tidus said, with wide eyes. A light popped in his head. "Hey, I got an idea!"

"We're not waiting till nightfall," Auron shut the light off.

"Aww…"

"Then, once we beat Sin, we're coming back!" Naruto said with determination, Tidus agreed.

Yuna's eyes became solemn despite having a smiled on her face. Kakashi observed in confusion as Lulu and Wakka's face became solemn as well. Even Auron was silent. Why did the air change so suddenly? The Copy-nin locked eyes with Gaara, whose eyes told him that they would have a chat later on in the pilgrimage. Kakashi looked at Gai and his team. They were thinking the same thing. Shikamaru and Sai did a good job acting like they didn't notice, but Naruto and Tidus didn't seem to notice at all.

Wakka was the first one to break the silence. "Hey, we better hurry or we'll miss the shoopuf!" he said cheerfully.

Tidus looked at him in confusion. "Shoopuf? That some kind of boat?"

Wakka hummed and pointed in a direction. They all walked to the place he was pointing at and saw a huge creature.

"Whoa, what the...whoa!" Tidus exclaimed.

A shoopuf, is an incredibly massive elephant-like creature. Its trunk curled like a party blower. A cabin-like saddle was strapped on top of its back for the passengers.

"This is a shoopuf," Wakka introduced.

"Whoa... Let's ride! Come on, let's go!" Naruto said as he started jumping up and down. It was like the chocobo event all over again.

Wakka nodded. "All right! We board soon as we're ready, ya?"

Auron walks off to buy some supplies, Kakashi and Gai going with him. Gaara and Shikamaru stayed with Team Gai, while Sai was now sketching a picture of the shoopuf.

"Are you planning to sketch every place we go to?" Sakura asked as she peered over his shoulder.

Sai nodded. "I want to show everyone back at home." Sakura's eyes softened, understanding his words.

Tidus walked off to find Auron, who was now waiting for everyone else to be ready.

"Ten years ago..." Auron began.

Tidus groaned, "A history lesson?"

"Jecht saw his first shoopuf here," Auron continued, ignoring him, "Surprised, he drew his blade and struck it."

Tidus's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"He was drunk...thought it was a fiend."

"Oh, brother..." the blonde rolled his eyes.

"We offered all the money we had as an apology," Auron said, "Jecht never drank again. But, it would seem that shoopuf still works here." He observed the shoopuf. He then walked over to the driver, and everyone else gathered near him.

The driver turned to Auron. "Ride ze shoopuf?"

"Yes, we'd like to board," Auron told him, handing him some gil.

"All aboards!" the driver called out.

The lift came down and Yuna boarded it. She counted heads. "Um…I don't think we all will fit on the shoopuf…" she said with uncertainty.

"Don't worry, Lady Yuna," Kakashi gave her his famous eye smile, "Us shinobi can walk on water. Why don't the rest of you go on, and we'll walk besides the shoopuf."

Naruto started whining about wanting to ride the shoopuf, but Sakura quickly shut him up with a look. She reminded him what happened with the chocobo.

Yuna looked unsure. "O-okay. If you're certain." So all the non-shinobi boarded the shoopuf. The driver sat behind the creature's head.

"Shoopuf launchin'!"

The huge creature began to walk towards the river, making ripples as it hit the water. The shinobi began to pump chakra to their feet, and walked along the surface like they were walking on ground. They were halfway across the lake when Wakka stopped the driver.

The shinobi all stopped walking when the shoopuf did. "Why did we stop?" Naruto asked.

"Hey. Take a look," Wakka said to Tidus. He nodded his head behind him.

Tidus stood up and looked out into the water. "Whoa! A sunken city!" The shinobi looked below their feet, and saw that it was true. Their eyes bulged. Rubble and parts of buildings were seen eroding underneath the water.

"A machina city-a thousand years old!" Wakka said, "They built the city on top of bridges across the river."

"But the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and it all sank to the bottom," Lulu added.

"Obviously. They didn't plan ahead?" Shikamaru scoffed as he looked down at the ruins. He was rewarded with a swat to the head by the pink-haired medic, warning him to be nice.

Wakka nodded his head and crossed his arms. "Right. It's a good lesson."

"A lesson?" Tidus said.

Wakka nodded. "Yeah. Why build a city over a river, ya?"

Tidus thought for a moment. "Uh…well, it would be convenient, with all that water there."

"Nope, that's not why," Wakka shook his head, "They just wanted to prove they could defy the laws of nature!"

Kakashi rubbed a finger under his chin. "I'm not so sure about that," he hummed.

Wakka opened his mouth. "Yevon has taught us." The shinobi, save for Gai and Kakashi, groaned. "When humans have power, they seek to use it. If you don't stop them, they go too far, ya?"

"Well, obviously," Naruto gritted as Shikamaru chuckled. Both guys were slapped upside their head by the pink-haired medic.

"Stop being rude," Sakura hissed at them.

Tidus gave Wakka a confused look. "Yeah, but don't you use machina, too? Like the stadium and stuff, right?"

"Yevon, it decides..." Lulu began, "which machina we may use, and which we may not."

"So what kind of machina may we not use, then?"

Wakka eyed the boy. "Remember Operation Mi'ihen?" Tidus nodded. "_That_kind."

"Or war will rage again," Lulu finished.

"War?"

"Is it just me or…" Shikamaru began, but a warning glare from Sakura made him rethink what he was about to say. She sighed. They all were wondering why it seemed like a big deal. Sure, people crave power, and that power is usually dangerous. They knew that. It was a no brainer. Sakura wanted to slam her head against one of those rubble pieces herself.

"More than a thousand years ago..." Yuna said, "mankind waged war using machina to kill! They kept building more and more powerful machina."

"They made weapons so powerful...it was thought they could destroy the entire world," Lulu added on.

"The people feared that Spira would be destroyed," Yuna said.

Wakka punched the seat. "But the war did not stop!"

"Wh-What happened then?"

Yuna's face turned solemn. "Sin came, and it destroyed the cities and their machina."

"The war ended..." Lulu spoke, "and our reward... was Sin."

"So, Sin's our punishment for lettin' things get out of hand, eh?" Wakka preached.

Tidus rubbed his head. "Man, that's rough."

"Yeah, it is."

"But, it's not like the machina are bad," Naruto said as he jumped up to the cabin.

"Only as bad as their users," Kakashi said.

"It's because of people like the Al Bhed screwin' everything up!" Wakka growled.

Suddenly, the cabin started to shake, as if something had hit them. It hit again, this time, the shoopuf cried. Naruto yelled as he was thrown off the cabin, but he landed on the water's surface.

The driver looked around. "Whatsh could thatsh be?"

"What's going on?" Shikamaru's eyes narrowed.

"Something's hit the shoopuf," Neji said, his Byakugan activated, "It's on the other side!"

The cabin shook again. The force was soo hard that everyone stood up. "Sit down!" Auron ordered Yuna.

Yuna gasped. "S-Sorry!" She was about to sit down, when arms suddenly grabbed her from above. An Al Bhed was hanging from the top of the cabin, and grabbed her. She gave a muffled cry as he covered her face and drove to the water, Yuna in tow.

"The Al Bhed!" Wakka exclaimed.

Just as the Al Bhed was about to hit the water, Kakashi was in front of him and knocked him out, taking Yuna in his arms. He turned around; only to barely dodge an attack from another Al Bhed, making him let go of Yuna. The other Al Bhed grabbed Yuna and entered the water.

Kakashi landed on the water's surface, and the other shinobi surrounded him. "Kakashi, are you okay?" Gai asked.

"I was careless," Kakashi growled.

Seeing what happened, Tidus and Wakka jumped out of the cabin and dove into the water. They swam towards a huge machina that was similar to the machina in Luca, Yuna was surrounded by a huge air bubble.

"What's going on?" Gai asked Kakashi and Neji, who were watching the battle below.

"That looks like the machina we faced in Luca," Neji said with wide eyes.

"What?" Tenten shouted as she tried to scope out the machine. She went to pull out a scroll but Kakashi stopped her.

"Hold on," he told her, "Yuna's down there as well. She's in some sort of an air bubble. We can't risk injuring her as well."

"Then what do we do? We're sitting ducks right now!" Naruto cried.

Kakashi watched as the machina dropped water-proof grenades on Wakka and Tidus. "Those two can fight it, because they're attacking just the machina," he pondered, "I really don't have any experience fighting underwater. None of us do."

"We have no choice. We need to wait for an opportunity," Shikamaru sighed.

And the battle continued. The shinobi watched as a dark cloud obscured the vision of the two water fighters during some points, making them miss their target. When it seemed like the two were just about to hit their point, one more hit from Tidus made the machina stutter. It started to shake, and the air bubble around Yuna disappeared. Wakka quickly swam over and gently grabbed her before he and Tidus swam away, just as the machina exploded.

Kakashi was there when Wakka and Yuna surfaced. Yuna sputtered for a bit, and Kakashi took her in her arms before jumping up to the cabin. He gently sat her down. Naruto and Sakura jumped up to the cabin as well.

Lulu checked her over. "Are you hurt?" Her crimson eyes running over Yuna's form.

"No, I'm fine."

"Grrah! Those Al Bhed!" Wakka cursed as he walked up the trunk of the shoopuf in order to get to the cabin. Tidus followed him.

"Ish ebullibody okay?" the driver called out.

Yuna stood up. "I'm sorry! We're all okay now!"

"Yuna!" Auron chastised. She gasped, and quickly sat down. Kakashi tilted his head towards Auron and the others, before he, Naruto, and Sakura jumped back down to the water's surface.

The driver pointed to the other side of the river. "Shoopuf full shpeed aheads!" The shoopuf started walking again, a bit faster this time.

"Damn the Al Bhed!" Wakka cursed again, "What do they want from us? Could it have something to do with Luca? What are they after Yuna for? Wait! They're mad they lost the tournament! Or, wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen!"

"Wakka certainly is an interesting one," Kakashi mused.

"You have no idea," Naruto scowled.

"I wonder..." Lulu said, "Didn't Kimahri's clansmen say something...about summoners...disappearing?"

Wakka's head shot up. "Ah! So the Al Bhed are behind that!" his eyes narrowed, "Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!"

Tidus looked at Wakka with tired eyes. "Hey, Wakka. It's no use complaining about the Al Bhed now, right? We'll protect Yuna from anyone, anywhere. It's that easy. That's all I need to know!" Auron smirked. The boy was learning.

"Good answer," Shikamaru commented.

Wakka scratched his head. "Well…I guess so."

"You're right," Lulu agreed.

Yuna mouthed a "thank you" to Tidus, who gave her a small smile. The smile faded as they reached the other side of the Moonflow. They got off the shoopuf and were on their way again.

"Where next?" Neji asked.

"To the Guadosalem. We'll rest for a bit there," Auron replied.

They saw a forest a couple feet in front of them, a bridge was before the entrance. As Tidus looked closer, he saw a body. He quickly ran over to the body and examined it. For some reason, it looked familiar, but he shook it off. His eyes widened as the figure moved. "You're...not dead?"

"What is it?" Naruto said, walking over. His eyes widened as well. "Sakura!" he called out to his female teammate. She hurried over.

"What is it Naruto—oh!"

The figure stood up, revealing a female body. Her outfit was pink, and…odd. It was pink and red, and had her chest area exposed as well as part of the area down below. Kakashi politely averted his eyes, by pulling out the orange book. Gai immedietly looked away, covering Lee's eyes as Tenten gasped. Neji looked away as well, but a tinge of red stained his cheeks. Shikamaru's cheeks also pinked, and he muttered something about women being "troublesome" and whatnot.

Tidus gawked as the girl began to strip.

The girl reached under her arms and unclipped something, her shoulder pads fell off. She reached behind her back, and the sound of a zipper was heard. She peeled off the suit, revealing an orange midriff top that had two blue ribbons hanging off where her shoulder blades were. She shook her butt as she tried to get suit passed her hips. She stepped out of her suit, reached for her goggles, pulled them off and placed them around her neck. She reached for her mask, pulling the mask up and over the face, and sighed.

"Ahh….thought I was done for, back there."

"Rikku!" Sakura exclaimed, as Tidus went "ha!" Rikku fell on her hands and knees, a bit weak from an unknown cause.

"Rikku! You're Rikku!" he said excitedly, "Hey! You're okay! How you been?"

**A/N:** Annnnnnnd we've reached Rikku. For those of you who wonder what her suit looks like, look it up…anyway. I apologize, I'm a bit tired right now. Not much to say except the whole shabang about favoriting/alerting/or reviewing this story


	11. Guadosalem and a Proposal

**A/N:** I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy.

Dragon Naruto – Thanks for the tip. I was kinda dead on my feet, and now that I am rereading it…it's wimpy -_- I must apologize to you (and everyone else who's reading this story) about that fight. When I have the time, I shall edit it. And I'm looking forward to continuing my LOTR story as well. I want to make sure that I'm portraying not only Dissidia characters, but LOTR characters as well. I'm not as good with LOTR characters, so please wait a little bit longer

BOBOBOBO – Yep, I really do look forward to your reviews! And then I feel REALLY guilty when I don't update for a loooooong time….just like I am with my other stories (Dissidia/LOTR, Naruto/Skyward Sword, Naruto/Twilight Princess) _

Tmp114 – Thanks for reviewing! You might find out if I decide to make a sequel with FFX-2 :D

I also want to take the time to thank those of you who put this story on their favorite/alert list. And also, those of you who put me on your author alert list, I'm a bit surprised and thankful to you, and appreciate the support!

**Chapter 11**

"Hey! You're okay! How you been?"

Rikku shook her head. "Terrible!" she answered.

Tidus crouched down to her level, observing her. "Yeah, you don't look so good. What happened?"

Rikku started pointing at Tidus, standing as she went. "You beat me up, remember?" Tidus fell on his back, giving her a confused look.

"Oh! That machina...that was you?" he said as he stood up.

Rikku closed her eyes and nodded. She faltered and held a hand to her head. "Ow! That really hurt, you know. You big meanie!" Her emerald green eyes glared at him.

"But you attacked _us_," Naruto pointed out, "You kidnapped Yuna."

Rikku quickly shook her head. "Nah-uh. It's not exactly what you think." She put a finger to her lips, trying to think of what to say.

"Yo!"

They all turned to see Wakka and the others approaching them. "Friend of yours?"

Tidus scratched his head. "Uh, you could say that." He looked at Naruto and Sakura who were equally at a loss for words.

"Pleased to meet you! I'm Rikku!" The Al Bhed girl grinned and gave a little hop.

Tidus turned to face the summoner and black mage. "Yuna, Lulu...I told you about her, remember?" he gave them a look, "She was the one who helped me before I was washed up on Besaid! Helped out me, Naruto, and Sakura. She's an Al B...beh..." he caught himself.

Naruto and Sakura exchanged worried glances while the other shinobi looked at the pair with interest.

"Wow, so you, like, owe her your life!" Wakka told him, "What luck meeting here, ya?" He started doing the prayer gesture. "Praise be to Yevon!" Rikku put a finger to her lips and gave the blitzball captain a curious look. "So, uh... Rikku..." Wakka observed the blond, "You look a little beat up! You okay?" 

"Uh, Wakka..." He turned to Lulu.

"Huh? What?"

Yuna walked up to the blitzball captain. "There's something _we_ need to discuss," she said with reserve. Her hands were clasped in front of her, giving herself a docile look.

"Oh, go ahead."

Rikku stood next to Yuna. "Girls only! Boys please wait over there!" she pointed at a spot. 

"Women are so troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed as he rubbed a hand over his face.

Lulu just looked at the lazy genius. "Right. Sorry, Wakka." She then looked at Sakura. "Sakura, if you wouldn't mind…"

Sakura's eyes widened, understanding her look. "Oh, of course!"

The four girls walked away and out of earshot from everyone else. Wakka watched them with a confused look, before growling in frustration. The entire group in waiting watched as Rikku began talking, waving her hands around. Sakura spoke a couple of times, and Lulu and Yuna listened intently.

"Hey Tenten, you're a girl, why aren't _you_ over there?" Naruto inquired to the weapon user, who only crossed her arms.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I don't know that girl," Tenten narrowed her eyes, "If anything, why aren't _you_ over there? You and Sakura came together, so wouldn't that mean _you_ know her?"

Naruto sweatdropped. "Eheh, well, she saved me and Sakura, but that's about it," he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Wow, so you owe her your life as well, ya?" Wakka scratched his own head, trying to figure out what was happening.

The four girls came back. Sakura and Rikku were smiling, while Lulu bore a small smile of her own. Yuna walked up to the oldest guardian.

"Sir Auron..." the man gave her his attention. "I would like Rikku to be my guardian."

Auron walked up to Rikku, who started to fidget, and looked at her. The young Al Bhed girl lowered her head.

"Show me your face," Auron said in a gentle, low voice.

"Huh?" Rikku's body gave a small jerk, as if a chill went up her spine.

"Look at me."

"Oh, okay." Rikku slowly lifted her face up at Auron, but her eyes were closed.

"Open your eyes." One eye hesitantly opened. It was green, and had a swirled pupil. Auron gave a small nod. "As I thought."

Rikku opened her other eye and clasped her hands low in front of her, looking dejected. "Um...No good?" She tilted her head.

"Are you certain?" the older guardian asked. His eyes searched hers for any doubt, fear, and lies.

Rikku smiled. "A hundred percent!" She looked at Yuna, Lulu, and Sakura. "So, anyway...can I?"

Auron turned his head to look at the summoner. "If Yuna wishes it."

"Yes, I do," Yuna gave a slight nod.

Wakka crossed his arms, grunting in frustration. He had no idea what was going on, and felt a headache forming.

"Rikku's a…good girl. She helped me a bunch!" Tidus tried to appease the other man.

Wakka nodded his head and uncrossed his arms. "Well, I'm for it! The more, the merrier!" He smiled.

Rikku punched her fist in the air. "Then I'll just have to be the merriest!" She gave a small laugh. "Rikku, at your service!"

The path led them through a small forest. The forest was lush and green, with a gentle breeze winding through the leaves.

"This kinda looks like the outskirts of Konoha, doesn't it?" Tenten observed as Neji looked around.

"Yosh! The power of youth flows strong here!" Lee cried. Gai looked at his prized pupil proudly, and they exchange flawless smiles.

"It's just a bunch of trees," Shikamaru said dryly. He yawned and put his hands behind his heads.

Naruto hummed to himself. Sakura and Sai looked questioningly over at their teammate. Kakashi peered over from his orange book. "Something on your mind, Naruto?" the Copy-nin asked.

Naruto was staring at Wakka, who was up ahead along with the Yuna and the rest of the Spiran guardians. "It's weird," the blonde said.

"What's weird?" Sakura asked.

Naruto turned his attention from Wakka to his pink-haired teammate. "Wakka's always hated the Al Bhed…" he looked back at the orange haired man who was laughing heartedly at something Rikku said. "But he doesn't realize that Rikku is one of them."

Kakashi put a hand to his chin. "Didn't you mention that Lady Yuna is also Al Bhed?"

"Half Al Bhed," Sakura corrected.

"What's the difference?" Shikamaru said, "Rikku looks like any other human being."

"But Yuna has heterochromia," Sai added. The ROOT member received stares.

"It means she's got two different colored eyes," Shikamaru sighed, "And what's your point, Sai?" The boy shrugged.

Sakura put a finger to her cheek, thinking. "When I was talking with Yuna and Lulu about letting Rikku become a guardian, I noticed something about her eyes. Instead of having round pupils like us, they were spiraled."

"Spiraled pupils?" Naruto echoed.

"I've noticed that the majority of the Al Bhed wear goggles," Kakashi added, "Perhaps to conceal that physical detail from those who are against them." It reminded him of his own eye that he usually conceals.

"Well that's dumb," Naruto commented, "That makes them stand out even more."

"Sir Auron knew what Rikku was right from the beginning," Gaara said, "And she knew that he knew, even though she tried to hide it from him."

"Wait, if Yuna's suppose to be half Al Bhed…why aren't her pupils spiraled?" Tenten asked, her face confused.

"Heterochromia," Shikamaru repeated, and the weapon user gave him a look. Shikamaru closed his eyes. "Even though her pupils aren't spiraled, one of her eyes is green. That must be the Al Bhed part."

"We're here," Gai said.

They were at the underground city of Guadosalam. The entrance went deep into the ground, as if they were entering the roots of a large tree. The ground itself sparkled emerald, while roots twisted and knotted into a weird picture. The group noticed an elderly Guado waiting for them.

"We have been expecting you, Lady Yuna. Welcome to Guadosalam," the guado bowed. Naruto noted his long, slender, fingers attached to his hands. His nails looked like long, sharp claws. "This way, my lady. This way." The guado reached out to take Yuna, but Wakka blocked him with his arm.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

Kakashi, Gai, and Neji also walked up to Yuna, giving the guado a cautious look. The guado bowed in apology. "Oh, I beg your pardon. I am called Tromell Guado," he introduced himself, "I am in the direct service of our leader, the great Seymour Guado. Lord Seymour has very important business with Lady Yuna."

Yuna's face filled with shock. She brought a hand to her chest. "Business with me? Whatever could it be, I wonder?"

Tromell beckoned her to follow him. "Please, come inside the manor. All will be explained." He turned and looked at the guardians. "Of course, your friends are also welcome."

He walked inside, Yuna and Kimahri following him. Next were Lulu and Auron, and then Wakka. Gai looked at Kakashi, who nodded, and the two elite jounin walked inside. Naruto and the others were about to walk in when he noticed a familiar old man standing next to the entrance, looking interested in his surroundings.

"Hey, you're that man we met at the Meeny Highroads!" Naruto pointed out and walked over to him. The other followed.

The man turned to him and cleared his throat. "The _Mi'hen_ Highroads, young man," he corrected.

"You're…Maechen right?" Sakura asked.

"That is correct."

They noted that the man was looking at the balls of light that seemed to be floating around them. The balls of light seemed to be everywhere: when a fiend died, during Operation Mi'hen, even the moon flow. The group began to watch them with interest.

Maechen noticed. "Ahem!" he cleared his throat for attention, "They may be called "pyreflies" but they aren't really "flies", you see. They're those lights you see whenever a fiend dies. The little fellows are responsible for a few fantastic phenomena."

The young shinobi listened with interest. Sai pulled out his notebook and began sketching the entrance to the Guadosalem, making sure to include the pyreflies. So far he has a sketch of Besaid, Killika (before and after Sin destroyed it), Luca, part of the Mi'hen Highroad, Mushroom Rockroad, the Battle Site, and the Moonflow.

"Visions of the past, spheres, fiends-these are all the pyreflies' doing," Maechen continued, "In fact...pyreflies have something to do with aeons, too. The dreams of the fayth reach through the spirit of the summoner...and that which is unreal becomes real for all to see!" He paused. "Or maybe not. Who knows? And that, as they say, is that."

"Dreams of the fayth," Neji murmured with interest as the group entered Guadosalem.

"Is he saying that the aeons aren't real?" Tenten wondered aloud.

The shinobi saw everyone waiting for them in the lobby area.

"This must be what it's like to be in a tree," Naruto whispered to Sakura, who nodded in agreement.

"Hey, what took you so long?" Tidus asked them.

"Oh, um…we got distracted. Sorry," Sakura said while scratching the back of her head nervously.

"I'm not surprised," Kakashi said, giving Naruto a knowing look.

Tromell gestured towards a double door. "This way, please." They entered the manor. Inside, was a small room that had a staircase that led to an upper room. On the ground level, was another door leading to a different room. Portraits of male guados followed up the wall of the staircase. Tromell led them to the room straight in front of them. Inside the room were long tables with a myriad of fruits, vegetables, and all sorts of foods.

Naruto's eyes widened, and his mouth watered. 

"I will go inform Lord Seymour. Please wait here," Tromell said before leaving.

"Yay! Food! When was the last time we ate?" Naruto cried as he marched up to a table and began gobbling up everything. Yuna giggled as everyone else shook his or her head. Kakashi pulled out his orange book, trying to hide behind it.

"Naruto," Shikamaru groaned, as the other shinobi shook their heads.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled, and stomped over to her teammate and whacked him over the head. "Where are you're manners? You didn't even ask! This food may not be for us!"

"I doubt they would just leave it all here for show," Rikku said as she picked up a juicy looking apple. She took a generous bite, and nearly swooned from the taste. "Mmmm! This is good!"

As Sakura continued to scold Naruto, Tidus walked up to Auron, who was leaning against a wall. Kakashi, Gai, and Gaara were close by.

"Stay on your guard," the older man said.

Kakashi looked over at the man with interest, wanting to hear more. Tidus snorted. "Why? This guy's just a priest, right?"

"Those with power use that power," Auron peered over at Tidus from the top of his sunglasses, "Maesters have power."

Tidus gave the man a suspicious look. "Wait...you sure you don't have something against Yevon?"

Auron gave a short bark of laughter. "I lived a long time in Zanarkand."

Tidus walked over to Lulu, who was standing with Neji, Tenten, and Lee. "There's no temple here in Guadosalam, see?" the black mage explained, "Summoners usually just pass through on their way elsewhere." She was startled as Tidus started laughing. "What?"

"I didn't even ask a question and you're explaining things."

Lulu raised an eyebrow. "You'd rather I say nothing, then?" Her eyes were serious, and not amused.

Tidus quickly shook his head. "No, no!" He scratched the back of his neck. "Maybe you finally believe I don't know anything about Spira. And maybe that means you believe me about Zanarkand, too?"

Lulu was silent for a moment. "Well...there are many things I do not know. Your Zanarkand is one of those things," she said, "I suppose I can't say what I think either way. Still, be careful. You shouldn't tell other people."

Tidus nodded. "Yeah, I know." He looked over at Sai, who had his notepad out again. Naruto was quietly leaning against the table, Sakura by his side with her arms crossed. He then looked over at Yuna, who was standing stiffly, her face looking troubled. Deciding not to talk to her, he sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

Hearing the door open, he looked over to see Tromell standing in the doorway.

"Truly, it is good to have guests again," the old guado said as he walked over to the group, "Since Lord Jyscal passed away, these halls have been too quiet."

Yuna nodded absentmindedly. "The death of Lord Jyscal was a great loss for all of Spira."

"Was this Maester Jyscal really such a great guy?" Tidus whispered over to Wakka.

Wakka gave a curt nod. "He brought the teachings of Yevon to the Guado. He was truly a great man."

"Truly, a loss for us all," Tromell said as he shook his head, sadly. "But now a new leader, Lord Seymour, has come before us. Lord Seymour is the child of a Guado and a human. He will be the tie that binds our two races together. But that is not all, I think. Lord Seymour...he will surely become the shining star that lights the way for all the peoples of Spira."

"Pressure…what a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

"That is enough, Tromell."

They all turned to see Seymour walk into the room. "Must I always endure such praise?" the blue-haired guado did the prayer gesture. "Welcome!"

Yuna shyly looked at him. "You...wanted to see me?"

"Please, make yourselves at home. There's no rush," Seymour said gently to her. Naruto felt chills go down his spine as he heard the guado's voice.

"Please keep this short," Auron said curtly, "Yuna _must_ rush."

Seymour turned to the legendary guardian and gave a small bow. "Pardon me. It has been a long time since I had guests." He turned back to Yuna. "Lady Yuna, this way."

He led the group to a dark room. They all jumped in surprise as the ground lit up, lights surrounding them all. The ceiling above them turned into space, with pyreflies looking like meteorites. Yuna's eyes widened in awe. Wakka and Rikku looked like children catching fireflies as they tried to touch the pyreflies.

"This sphere is a reconstruction created from the thoughts of the dead on the Farplane," Seymour explained.

The sphere began to change, and they saw massive buildings, people walking in the streets, and a voice on a loud intercom head in the background.

Lee went to avoid a man walking into him, and was surprised as he went right through him. Neji gave Shikamaru a questioning look, but he only shook his head. Tenten and Sakura were whispering furiously to each other, and Sai was just observing the place. Gaara, like Lee, looked surprised as a person walked through him.

"Hey, I know this place!" Naruto commented.

Tidus's face was incredulous as he, too, recognized the place.

"Zanarkand!"

"Correct. Zanarkand...as it looked one thousand years ago," Seymour explained, "The great and wondrous machina city, Zanarkand." Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he saw something pass over in Seymour's eyes. "She once lived in this metropolis," Seymour said, knowingly.

Auron just smirked.

Yuna looked up at the guado. "She, who?"

Seymour looked at Yuna with a small smile on his face but remained silent. He looked forward as the scene changed. They were now in a large, well-decorated room. A long, white-haired, bikini-wearing woman was sitting on a bed in the middle of the room. It seemed like Yuna and Seymour were the only ones in the room.

Yuna gasped. "Lady Yunalesca!"

"She was the first person to defeat Sin and save the world from its ravages," Seymour said, "And you…have inherited her name."

Yuna gave him a humbled look. "It was my father who named me."

"Lord Braska was entrusting you with a great task," Seymour said, "He wanted you to face Sin, as Lady Yunalesca did. However, Lady Yunalesca did not save the world alone." He looked at the holograph of the woman. "To defeat the undefeatable Sin...it took an unbreakable bond of love-of the kind that binds two hearts for eternity."

A man in an outlandish outfit, complete with a large golden crown, walked into the room, right through Yuna, to the bed that Yunalesca's sat on. Yunalesca stood up, and they held hands. Yuna looked up at Seymour, who looked back at her, silently. Yuna returned her gaze to the couple that was now hugging. Yuna turned and faced Seymour as he leaned over and whispered something to her. She covered her mouth with her hand and gasped, and Seymour backed away and nodded slowly.

The scene changed, and Yuna and Seymour were standing in the middle of the room, with everyone else on one end. Yuna went to approach them, paused, and turned to get something to drink, gulping it down. She sighed a breath of relief, and then ran to the group.

Auron continued to lean against the wall with Gaara, Kakashi, and Gai by his side. Everyone else crowded around her.

"Wow! Your face is beet red!" Rikku remarked.

"You okay?" Tidus asked.

Yuna opened her mouth, and closed it. She shook her head, stumbling over her words. "He...he asked me to marry him!"

There was a pregnant pause. Naruto just stood there, blinking, before it clicked in his head.

"WHAT?" Naruto yelled. Tenten quickly swatted him for being so loud, and for being disrespectful. Sai quickly pulled out a familiar book on emotions and started flipping through the pages.

"How romantic," Sakura sighed, "He was probably trying to woo you with that sphere of Zanarkand."

"You serious?" Wakka said.

Auron turned his gaze upon Seymour. "You know what Yuna must do," He called to the guado.

Seymour gave a slow nod. "Of course. Lady Yuna-no, all summoners-are charged with bringing peace to Spira." He paused. "But this means more than just defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering of all Spira. She must be a leader for the people."

"Right," Naruto glowered at the guado. Something was up with him, making moves on Yuna and all. It just wasn't right! He practically just met the girl.

"I proposed to Lady Yuna as a maester of Yevon."

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed, "Marriage is so troublesome, especially if it's for politics."

"You wish for Lady Yuna to marry you, in hopes of uniting Spira," Neji commented.

Auron was unmoved by the maester's speech. "Spira is no playhouse. A moment's diversion may amuse the audience, but it changes nothing."

"Even so, the actors must play their parts." Seymour walked over to Yuna. "There's no need to answer right away. Please, think it over."

"We will do so, then," Auron said, with irritation, "We leave."

Seymour turned to Yuna. "Lady Yuna, I await your favorable reply." He walked towards the door, passing by the legendary guardian, and stopped. "Why are you still here, sir?" he asked the legendary guardian. 

Gaara and Kakashi looked from Seymour, to the silent guardian, with curious looks.

Seymour, now realizing his inappropriate question, bowed in apology. "I beg your pardon. We Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane," and exited the room.

Tidus walked up to Auron and started sniffing him. Naruto started giggling. Unamused, Auron pushed him away and walked out of the building, everyone quickly following. They all exited Seymour's manor, and into the lobby area of the Guadosalem. They were planning their next step.

Lulu crossed her arms, deep in thought. "Yuna, the high summoner's daughter, Seymour, the leader of the Guado, married in the name of Yevon, overcoming the barriers of race…it would give Spira something cheery to talk about, for a change."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru repeated what he said inside the room.

Wakka snorted and agreed, "Sounds just like a passin' daydream, like Auron says."

Tidus walked in front of the group. "Come on, let's just get on with the pilgrimage!" He made a face. "I mean, marriage?"

Rikku gave Tidus a leering glance. "Hmmm. Jealous?" Sakura and Tenten giggled.

"What? No way!" Tidus gave the Al Bhed an incredulous look, "We gotta defeat Sin. Romance can wait!"

"He sure picked a fine time to lay this one on us," Naruto huffed.

"Maybe it _is_ a fine time," Yuna said quietly. Everyone looked at her with confused looks. "If my getting married would help Spira...if it would make people happy...if I could do that for people... maybe I should do what I can," Yuna explained, "I never imagined doing anything like this. But, I won't answer till I know what's right."

"Are you sure about this?" Kakashi asked gently.

Rikku was happy to agree with Yuna. "You could always just quit your pilgrimage and get married." But Yuna shook her head.

"I will...go on," she stated, "I'm sure that Lord Seymour will understand."

Rikku scratched her cheek. "Umm, I guess so..."

"I am a summoner! I must fight and defeat Sin," Yuna said with resolve. Her eyes flowed with determination. Even if she were to marry, she would not quit her pilgrimage.

"Like Braska before you," Auron said in a low voice.

Yuna nodded. "I'm going to the Farplane," she hesitated, "I'm going to see my father and think on this."

Lulu nodded understandingly. "Go on, we'll be right behind you."

"Guess it's not as romantic as you think, Sakura," Tenten said as they all headed towards the Farplane.

"What do you mean?"

"Maester Seymour said that he proposed to Yuna as a Maester."

"And?" Sakura raised a brow. She didn't get it.

"Seymour is half guado, half human: a hybrid," Sai explained, "Yuna is also half Al Bhed. They're both half breeds." Sakura cringed at his choice of vocabulary.

"That's right, and she is also a summoner," Lee added, "Maester Seymour hopes to bring happiness to Spira with Lady Yuna. Their unity shall give all of Spira the power of youth!"

Sakura's eyes dimmed as she realized where everyone was going with this. "No one…no one even asked Yuna if she wanted it. If she even liked Maester Seymour," she said.

"Not all marriages are based on love, Sakura, you know that," Kakashi said to her in a gentle tone, "Think of all the alliances Konoha has made because of marriages." Sakura nodded, absentmindedly.

"Or the marriages that happen within clans," Gai added, "I'll bet that half of those marriages aren't love-based."

"Not nearly half," Shikamaru snorted. Neji silently agreed.

They arrived at what appeared to be a rippling bluish portal, pyreflies flying around them.

"Woah!" Naruto exclaimed.

Tidus walked in front of everyone. "Question!" He turned around. "About this Farplane...when somebody dies, a summoner sends them to the Farplane, right? So their souls, or whatever they are, they go to the Farplane, right? But that's the Farplane _we're_ going to, right? And Yuna's old man's there, too?

"And the golden kunai goes to…" Shikamaru joked.

"Do dead people live there or something?" Tidus asked.

"Not him," Tenten sighed.

"Look!" Naruto pointed. The shinobi and Tidus turned to see ghosts and wraiths floating about in the darkness below them. They all shuddered.

"I thought ghosts weren't real," Naruto whispered.

Wakka turned to Tidus. "You're thinking those funny thoughts again, ya? You'll see once we get there."

They all walked towards the entrance, except Auron.

"Aren't you coming?" Tidus asked. The shinobi stopped and turned around,

"I do not belong there."

Tidus grinned. "You're scared!"

"Searching the past to find the future...this is all that is there. I need it not," the older guardian explained, "You'd better be going."

Rikku sat on the railing. "You're not really going to see the dead, more like your memories of them," she added, "People think of their relatives and the pyreflies react to them. They take on the form of the dead person-an illusion, nothing else."

"Memories," Sai echoed.

"An illusion," Kakashi murmured.

"You mean…we'll see dead people there?" Naruto's eyes widened, "Creepy."

Tidus hummed. Rikku took out an apple she saved and polished it on her shirt. "Well, have fun!"

Tidus was surprised. "What, you're not going either, Rikku?"

Rikku slumped over her legs. "I keep my memories inside."

"Huh?"

Rikku looked at the entrance to the Farplane. "Memories are nice, but that's all they are." Those words, would stick with Kakashi forever.

They walked up to the portal. Tidus tapped on in, before carefully stepping through. The shinobi followed, one by one.

"What the...?" 

They were on a stone platform. Below the platform, a massive formation of clouds gathered with a large cloud-whirlpool sucking the clouds downwards. A field of green grass and flowers was seen, with pyreflies floating by. The sound of rushing waterfalls was heard. Naruto watched as huge tunnels of water reached up into the sky; it almost looked like a painting.

Sai quickly whipped out his notebook and rapidly began sketching the place. The group looked around and saw Wakka looking at an image of a young man with orange hair. Yuna was looking at images of her parents. All the images were floating in mid-air, and seemed stationary.

The group cautiously broke up, with Tidus walking over to Wakka, who was talking to the ghost.

"Yo, Chappu!" Wakka greeted, "Meant to come see you earlier, ya? Sorry!" He scratched the back of his head. "I know you won't hold it against me. I gave up the game. I'm a guardian from here on, you know?" Wakka gestured to Tidus. "This guy-looks a lot like you-showed up. Travelling with him, I thought, maybe...you were still alive somewhere, ya?" Wakka slumped his shoulders. "But, then again, here you are on the Farplane. Guess your place is here." He straightened up. "So, how you been? Oh, that guy I just told you 'bout, I gave him your sword. He likes it."

Not wanting to intrude anymore, Tidus walked over to Lulu, who had been watching Wakka from afar.

"He is dead, and I am still alive, coming here really makes that clear," Lulu said, "I should focus more on what I have to do now." She gave a small laugh, and Tidus gave her a questioning look. "I'm not even sure what I'm saying."

"Don't you mean that you should leave Chappu behind?" Tidus asked, "I'm sure he was a great guy, but there'll be others."

Lulu thought for a moment. "Hmm...that's a possibility."

"How about...Wakka?"

Lulu looked insulted. "What, me? With Wakka?"

Tidus bobbed his head up and down. "Yeah, you two get along great!" he said cheerfully.

"Getting along isn't enough. Not even close," she said tersely. They both looked over at Wakka.

"Oh, sorry. My mistake," Tidus said in a small voice.

"You'd do well to remember that. Knowing a bit about women might come in handy some day," Lulu said.

Tidus scratched the back of his neck and laughed. "Yeah, I'll remember."

Lulu smiled. "I won't be forgetting either." She looked over at the ghost of her lover. "Goodbye, Chappu. You always said I looked grumpy. But those were the happiest days of my life."

Tidus went over to Yuna, but was careful to stay a few feet away from her. He wanted to make sure that she had her space. Meanwhile, the shinobi were looking confused about everything.

"So, how does this work?" Tenten asked.

"You think about a person you miss, and the pyreflies will create their image," Lulu explained.

"And just like that they'll—Lord Hizashi!" Gai cried. The shinobi turned around and saw the image of the twin brother of the Hyuuga clan. Naruto looked at Neji, who was in shock.

"Father," Neji whispered, his eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing. Suddenly, he grew angry, "What kind of jutsu is this?"

"It's not a jutsu, Neji," Shikamaru said calmly, "I don't know what it is, but I can tell you that no chakra is involved."

"I don't think I quite understand it myself. What do you think Kakashi?" Gai asked his eternal rival, and was confused when he didn't receive a reply. He looked over at Kakashi who looked like he'd seen a ghost…two of them. Looking further he saw the ghosts of two certain teammates of his.

"I can't believe, it's Kakashi-sensei's two teammates," Sakura eyes widened.

"Rin…Obito," Kakashi whispered. He walked to the edge of the platform, eye wide. He felt his forehead break into a sweat. It really was them…or at least a copy. "It's really them…"

"No it's not, Kakashi," Sakura gently told him, "The pyreflies react to your thoughts."

"Only those who have passed on, will appear in the Farplane," Lulu explained. She paused. "Most people come here to talk, even though the image reflected can't talk back." She turned to leave. "I'll leave you to your privacy."

Neji turned back to the image of his father. "But…how do they even appear here? We're not even from here…"

"It doesn't really matter," Shikamaru said, "Death is the same, no matter where you go."

Lulu observed the group for a moment, before turning to leave. "I'll leave you to your privacy." The beads in her hair clicked together as she walked away.

Gai walked over to a different part of the platform, and was surprised to see a ghost of the Third Hokage and Asuma floating before him. Shikamaru hurried over upon seeing his former sensei as Naruto and Sakura watched their sensei start conversing with his former teammates.

"Hey Sakura," Naruto whispered, "Think of Sasuke."

Sakura glared at him. "I already did, dummy. He didn't show up," her face dimmed with sadness.

"I know," Naruto grinned, "You know what that means, don't you?" Sakura gave him a blank look. "Lulu said that only the dead appear in the Farplane," Naruto explained, "Since Sasuke-teme didn't show up, that means he's still alive!" Sakura smiled.

"I don't know whether to be happy or disappointed," Shikamaru said as he walked over to the pair. Gai was now over by Kakashi, both were conversing with the images of Rin and Obito.

"Are you done here?" Tenten asked. Neji was done talking to his father. Naruto saw that Lulu and Wakka were ready to leave, and decided to go tell Tidus, who was standing next to Yuna, talking.

"I've decided," Yuna told Naruto as he walked up.

"Oh, really? Hey, that's great Yuna!" Naruto said.

Yuna gave a small smile. "I remember, when I was only seven years old, in Bevelle that day," she began, "My father had defeated Sin, and the whole town was out in the streets. Everyone was laughing, they all seemed so happy. If I defeated Sin, that would make everyone happy...wouldn't it? I must do what everyone wants, not just what I want."

Tidus nodded in agreement. "Let's go back! You gotta tell Seymour," he told her.

"Before that..." Yuna interrupted, "Call Sir Jecht. Give it a try." 

"What?"

Yuna smiled. "Don't worry. He won't come."

"Yuna…I think the last person Tidus would want to think about is his old man," Naruto pointed out.

"Trying not to think about him only makes me think about him…" Tidus mumbled. A couple moments passed, and nothing appeared.

"See, told you!" Yuna grinned.

Tidus's face turned serious and he crossed his arms as he began to think, hard. He was thinking back on what Auron told him back in Luca, and after the failure of Operation Mi'hen. If Sin was his old man…what would he say to Yuna? Scratch that…what would he say to everyone in Spira? Should he apologize? Wait, why should he apologize for his good-for-nothing father, anyway? His thinking was cut short by Yuna's giggle.

"That means he's alive, you know?" she said.

Tidus uncrossed his arm. "I'd rather never see him again," he snorted.

"Say Tidus, why do you hate you're old man so much?" Naruto asked nervously. He started to scratch the back of his head. "I mean…I never had parents," his shoulders slumped as he talked, "I was…orphaned all my life. The only people I consider as my family are my teammates, so…I don't know what it's like to have a mother…or a father.

Yuna looked sadly at Naruto as Tidus sighed and looked up at the sky. "Everything he does just makes me mad. It was his fault that me and my mother..." he gasped as a woman appeared. "Mom?" He looked at the woman closely. "It's her!"

"That's you're mom?" Naruto asked as he saw the woman.

Yuna observed the woman, her head slightly tilted to the side. "She's very pretty."

Tidus's brow furrowed. "But...wait. No one ever performed the sending for her." He put a finger under his chin as he started to think.

"She must've accepted death while she was still alive," Yuna said quietly.

"Whoa there, that's my mother you're talking about." Yuna went to apologize, but Tidus waved a hand. "It's okay." He paused as Naruto just watched the ghost of his mother. "I think I just figured something out…why I hate my old man."

Naruto and Yuna gave him their full attention.

Tidus stared at his mother. "Whenever my old man was around, my mother wouldn't even look at me. Maybe that's when I started to resent him, even hate him. When he left us...mom just lost her energy," he explained, "The old lady next door told me...when a lovebird dies, the one left behind...it just gives up living so it can join its mate." He clenched his fists. "It was just like that. I hated my old man even more. But really, my old man..."

He stopped, and then laughed. "Oh, man...I must sound so stupid."

"I don't think some," Yuna said with sincerity. Naruto, was deep in thought at what Tidus said. Although he was still confused about a lot of things, he was beginning to understand a lot about the other blonde he met in Zanarkand.

"How embarrassing!" Tidus said as he ran a hand over his face.

"Naruto, I thought you were going to get Tidus and Yuna," a voice said. The trio turned around to see Sakura, Lulu, and Wakka. Everyone else was by the stairs leading out of the Farplane.

Wakka crossed his arms. "Well? Need some more time?"

"No, I'm ready," Yuna said, shaking her head slightly. There was a slight pause. Naruto blinked. Somehow, the situation had gotten a little awkward for him.

"Did I miss something?" Lulu asked.

Tidus gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head, a gesture he seemed to be doing a lot. As they began to exit the Farplane, Sakura gave Naruto a look that said he would do some explaining later, and met up with Auron and Rikku.

"Thanks for waiting! I'll go give my answer to Maester Seymour," she told the legendary guardian. Everyone froze as they heard gasps from a couple of guados. They looked to the entrance of the Farplane and saw a ghostly image of a guado begin to exit the Farplane portal.

"That's strange," Shikamaru said, "I could've sworn that there was a portrait of that guy in Seymour's home."

"Lord Jyscal!" A guado cried.

"Lord Jyscal!" another yelled.

The ghost only groaned, not like what a zombie would do. The groan sounded tormented, as if he were suffering.

Auron stiffened. "It does not belong here."

Yuna gave him a questioning look. "Why?" But she was ignored.

"Yuna, send him."

Yuna quickly walked up the steps, and Auron fell to his knees, grunting in pain. Sakura made a move to help him, but he just shook his head. Kakashi and Gai exchanged looks, and prepared to jump in if need be.

"Lord Jyscal..." Yuna began.

"He is Lord Jyscal no more," Lulu called to her, "Send him now!"

She summoned her staff and began to send him. "Lord Jyscal" started turning into pyreflies and turned translucent. He had his arms raised, his face looking slightly relieved. Before he completely vanished, a small blue object fell to the ground. Startled, Yuna bent down and picked it up.

Auron stood up. "Talk later. We leave now." He exited the Farplane area quickly.

They left the Farplane area, returning to the lobby of the Guadosalem.

"Wh...what was that just now? That really Lord Jyscal?" Wakka murmured to himself.

"If I may ask, who is this, Lord Jyscal?" Gai asked.

"Lord Jyscal," Lulu began, "The previous leader of the Guado, and a respected maester of Yevon. He married a human in hopes to reunite the two races," her voice got quiet, "Much like Lord Braska and Yuna's mother." She straightened up. "Lord Jyscal had only one child, a son, who took his father's place as a maester of Yevon, and the new leader of the Guado."

"Maester Seymour?" Sakura said, her eyes wide.

"The same idiot who wants marriage for the people," Naruto snorted.

"Hey, no talking about the master like that, you hear?" Wakka chastised him as Naruto brought his hands up in defense.

Yuna shook her head. "I don't understand how a man like Lord Jyscal could die and not be sent."

Lulu hummed in agreement. "I would think that he was sent once...but he stayed on Spira." An idea flashed in her head, and her eyes narrowed. "Something, a powerful emotion could have bound him to this world. Such things happen."

Rikku's eyes widened. She rubbed her hands against her arms, as if she were cold. "That's against the rules, isn't it?"

"It means he died an unclean death," Auron stated simply. Kakashi's eye narrowed as he realized what the older man was saying.

"He was murdered," Shikamaru said quiet enough for only the shinobi to hear. They all exchange looks, thinking the same thing. And here they thought this journey was going to be easy. But seriously? Being attached to the world by a strong emotion. What did that mean? Something bad, obviously.

Yuna walked up to the manor. "I will go...meet with Maester Seymour," she said in a strange voice. She turned to go, but was stopped by Auron's voice.

"Yuna!" She turned around. "Jyscal is the Guado's problem, not yours."

She hesitated, thinking on those words, but ignored him and entered the manor. Everyone made himself or herself comfortable while they waited.

"So, Lulu," Naruto sauntered up to the black mage, "What do you think about Yuna getting married?"

"As long as the pilgrimage continues, either way's fine," she answered, honestly.

Tidus looked at her. "That's it? What if she doesn't even like the guy? Is that okay?"

"People marry for many reasons," Kakashi spoke up as he walked over to them.

Tidus snorted. "What's that mean?"

"Sometimes marriage doesn't require love, you know? Defeat Sin, and bring joy to the people of Spira. Get married, and bring joy to the people of Spira," Lulu explained, "For Yuna, they're just two ways down the same road. All you need is determination. If you have that, you don't need love."

"Like I said, troublesome," Shikamaru nodded his head while sitting down on the ground.

Sakura sighed. "I don't know...I just don't get it. I mean I _do_ get it. But still…" Kakashi just put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"But," Lulu began, "if Yuna gets married, then I..."

Tidus interrupted her. "What? That again?"

Lulu glared at the young man. "Yes. If she is to marry, I…would _want_ her to marry for love."

Tidus grinned. "See?" 

"But..." Tidus groaned. "If Yuna said she wanted to marry the one she loves. I would have to object."

"Shocker," Shikamaru yawned.

"What do you mean? That doesn't make any sense!" Naruto gave the black mage a look. So Lulu would like for Yuna to marry the one she loved, but if _Yuna_ wanted that, then she wouldn't want Yuna to marry for love. Naruto groaned and clutched his head.

"I know," Lulu sighed. 

"Lulu..." Tidus began, but the black mage cut him off.

"I've talked enough about that."

"What?"

Lulu turned to face Tidus. "I'm sorry, just forget about it." She looked at the blank look Tidus was giving her. "You'll understand one of these days. I just don't want to give it words. Not yet." She turned to walk away, but looked over her shoulder.

"I shouldn't have to say this, but don't fall in love with her."

Sakura and Naruto gave the other blonde knowing looks, and Tidus just scowled at them. The Zanarkand star began wandering around the Guadosalem, ending up at the entrance to a tunnel. He met up with a familiar looking woman clad in the robes of Yevon.

"My…was the lady summoner not with you?" Shelinda asked him, her face slightly confused.

Tidus shook his head. "No. She's at Seymour's place."

"That's _Maester_ Seymour, or _Lord_ Seymour," Shelinda corrected. On the inside, she was a little surprised at how casual the boy addressed the leader of the Guado.

Tidus scratched his head. Sheepishly. "Oh, I'll be careful. Sorry."

"That's all right," Shelinda said with a small smile, "Maester Seymour left Guadosalem a short while ago."

Tidus's eyes widened. "You serious?"

"I believe he went to the temple in Macalania. Maester Seymour is also the high priest of that temple."

Tidus started to scramble. "Whoa, I gotta tell the others!" He walked back the way he came, looking for the group.

Still waiting for Yuna to come out, Gaara took this time to approach Kakashi and Gai.

"I have something I need to tell you about the pilgrimage, something important," the Kazekage told the two.

"What is it, Gaara?" Kakashi said. They spoke in hushed tones.

"You know when you said that the Al Bhed didn't want summoners 'sacrificing' themselves?" Kakashi nodded. Gaara opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off by Tidus.

"You guys! Seymour's not here anymore!"

"What?" Wakka exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" Lulu asked, "We just saw him not too long ago. I wonder why he left in a haste."

Auron turned to Rikku. "Call Yuna. If Seymour did indeed leave Guadosalem, her reply to him will have to wait. Until then, we continue the pilgrimage."

"Yuna, let's go!" Rikku called out to her cousin who was still in the manor. Moments later, the summoner came out of the manor, her face slightly glum. She walked over to the group, Tidus was telling them where the maester currently was.

"They say Seymour went to Macarena Temple."

"_Macalania_ Temple," Wakka scowled as he corrected the boy. 

"What I don't get is..." Kakashi said slowly, "Why would the lord maester head off without a word to anyone?" Lulu was thinking the exact same thing.

"Maybe he wasn't expecting Yuna's answer so soon," Rikku suggested.

Wakka snapped his fingers. "Ah, that's probably it."

Yuna gave a short laugh, but sounded more like labored breathing. Everyone turned to look at her, concerned.

"Yuna, what is it?" Auron asked.

Yuna shook her head, waving a head in front of her face. "Oh, nothing."

Auron looked at her, observing her. "Hmm...you're a poor liar."

"It's true," Yuna insisted, feeling a little insulted, "It's nothing!" She began to walk towards the tunnel Tidus had come from. "Come on, let's go."

"Where's our next destination?" Kakashi asked.

"We cross over the Thunder Plains to Macalania Woods. From there, we head to Macalania Temple where Yuna will receive another aeon. Hopefully, we'll met Maester Seymour there," Lulu explained.

Rikku squeaked at the words "Thunder Plains."

**A/N:** Trudging along…we're about halfway through the journey! Please favorite/review/alert this story! It really means a lot to me. Oh! And those who are following my Duodecim Lord of the Rings story, the second chapter is gonna come out soon, so stay toon!


	12. Surprises, Decisions, and Macalania

**A/N:** I do not own Final Fantasy or Naruto.

BOBOBOBO – So it's been a while….I have forgotten what we were talking about….XD haha

Dragon Naruto – Keep waiting just little while longer. I plan on updating that next (probably after another chapter or two of this story now that the Hobbit is coming out)

Ropeittight06 – Thanks for the review! I hope this chapter isn't a disappointment!

Chapter 12

The sound of rumbling thunder could be heard as they began to reach the exit of the tunnel. When they reached the plains, the ground was grey, the sky and clouds were grey, and the atmosphere was dark and cold. In the distance, the group saw several tall malformed pillars, each lit up after being hit by a bolt of lightning.

"Oh, no, we're here," Rikku whimpered. Her hands and arms were curled up to her chest, her eyes wide and frantic. A bolt of lightning struck the air, followed by a loud clap of thunder.

"Woah!" Naruto cried. Rikku jerked back, giving a loud cry. The lightning bolt had hit one of the pillars.

"How are we supposed to cross that?" Tidus asked.

Lulu pointed to the towers. "See the lightning rod towers? The lightning is drawn to them...hopefully." Had it not been for Lulu's last word, Tidus would have felt confident crossing the plains.

"Hopefully?" Sakura echoed.

Wakka pointed up ahead. "We head north, not too near and not too far from the towers, ya?"

"Meaning we should avoid wide, open areas," Gai said as he put his hands on his hips.

Another bolt of lightning struck, and thunder roared again. Rikku cowered and shrieked. "I think I forgot something in Guadosalam," she said meekly.

"What a drag," Shikamaru groaned, "I don't suppose we'd have to wait for you…"

Auron knew fully well what was wrong with the poor Al Bhed girl. "Nice knowing you," he said nonchalant.

Rikku shot the older guardian a look. "Okay, okay! I'll go!"

Naruto eyed the lightning bolts that struck in the distance. "Well no way am I crossing this thing!" he stated.

"Think of it as more training, Naruto," Kakashi told him, "A step up from those kunai and shuriken." Naruto and Sakura gave the Copy Nin a dry look.

The group slowly began the short, dangerous, traverse across the treacherous Thunder Plains. It wasn't long until Naruto and Lee were challenging each other to see who could dodge the most thunderbolts, with Gai pressing his eternal rival to do the same. As they started walked past a lightning tower, Sakura noticed a woman dressed in green standing.

"Hey, Shelinda!" Sakura called out.

The woman turned around, and upon seeing the group, her eyes brightened. "Ah, good day!" she greeted them, while doing the prayer gesture.

Tidus raised his hand. "Hi there."

Shelinda turned to Sakura. "Is it true? I heard that Maester Seymour and Lady Yuna are to be wed!" she asked, excitement in her voice, "It's such great news! I have to tell everyone!"

Tidus scratched his head, "Where'd you hear that?"

"From the Guado. They were all very excited!"

Tidus gave a small grunt. "I'm afraid you heard a little wrong. Yuna's gonna turn him down," he said confidently.

The happiness from the Yevon Priestess disappeared. "Oh... Really?" She thought for a moment. "I see...that's unfortunate," sighed, "Well I'm sure that people would have rejoiced all over Spira."

She walked away as the group continued along the plains, eventually arriving under one tower. A blinding flash of white light filled the air as two lightning bolts hit the same tower. Rikku shrieked, ducking and covering her head with her hands. Sakura jumped in surprise, and in reflex, latched onto the closest thing next to her, which was Kakashi.

"Now, now, Sakura, a well-trained kounoichi like you should be more than capable of defending yourself against a little lightning, hmmm?" Kakashi teased. The pink-haired medic, realizing who she was hanging onto, immedietly let go. A faint blush was on her cheeks.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, I'll be there to protect you!" Lee cried, a glare fixated at Kakashi.

"Whoa! That was a close one!" Wakka laughed.

Lulu glared at him. "Stop kidding around," she told him sternly.

"Yes, ma'am..."

"Those lightning bolts are about as bad as your lightning blade, eh Kakashi?" Gai said, but the Copy nin made no response, nor acknowledge him.

"Hm? Did you say something?" Gai glowered, and started his rant about his eternal rival's cool hip ways.

"Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh..." Wakka looked over at Rikku who had made the sound. "Hmm? What's wrong?" She had her hands to her chest; her shoulders slumped and curled over. She looked ready for another duck and cover.

"Eh heh heh heh heh heh heh..." she said slowly.

Tidus put a hand on his hip. "Heh heh heh...you're givin' me the creeps!" he said as he glared at the Al Bhed girl. Lightning struck the tower and Rikku gave another shriek as she fell to her knees, covering her ears. She was still for a moment, gasping for breath. Suddenly and frantically, she made a beeline crawl over to Tidus and hugged his leg. Tidus gave a cry of protest, and attempted to shake her off.

"I wanna go home!" she cried, "I hate lightning! I hate thunder! Let's go rest over there!" She turned her gaze to a nearby lodge. It was small, but it proved useful. "Please?"

"This storm never stops. Better to cross quickly," Auron said in a stern tone.

"Wow, this plain never stops raining? Weird," Naruto mused out loud.

Rikku shook her head, and gave the stoic guardian her best puppy-dog look. "I know, but…just for a little while?"

Auron sighed as they all walked towards the lodge. "I'm guessing you want to stop as well," the older guardian asked Kakashi and Gai.

"We go by your orders. If you wish to continue, then we press on," Kakashi explained as Gai nodded in agreement.

"We're used to long journey's, rain, sunshine, snow, even really hot weather. We wouldn't be very good shinobi if we couldn't handle a little rain," Tenten added.

Auron grunted. "I see."

They stopped in front of the doors, but didn't go in. Auron motioned for the group to continue and all but Rikku and Tidus began walking onwards. They stopped as Rikku began speaking.

"Pretty please? Just a few minutes?"

They ignored her and continued walking, pausing once again as they heard her speak again.

"I'm scared of lightning! Let's rest, please? Pretty please?" She was getting desperate.

They kept walked.

"I'm too young to die!"

Their backs kept getting smaller and smaller.

"You're mean...cruel! Your moms would be ashamed of you!"

She heard a couple of snickers and stomped her foot. "Are you having fun doing this to me?" They all quickly ran back to her.

"Fine, we rest," Auron said in a clipped tone, "She's worse than the storm."

They all entered the Al Bhed lodge. When they were all in the lodge, Yuna turned to the group. "I'm...a little tired," she told them, and turned to the clerk. "Do you have a room available?"

The clerk gave a small bow. "Ah, Lady Summoner. Yes, just over that way." She unhooked the rope that led to the rooms. Yuna quietly gave her thanks, and walked down the halls and to her room.

Wakka scratched his head. "Uh, Yuna?"

Shikamaru lazily scratched his chin. "Did I miss something here?" The other shinobi nodded in agreement.

Lulu lifted one hand to grasp the other arm. "It's not like her." She followed the path Yuna took, and went into a different room. Wakka grunted, shaking his head, and went to his own room.

Naruto noticed Auron sitting at a table, and walked over to the older guardian. "Take advantage of this, we may not be able to have such indulgence," Auron wisely told the boy. Naruto mutely nodded. He then walked to the other side of the lobby where the Leaf shinobi and Gaara stood. He could feel a faint touch of heat from the fireplace that was there.

"What do you suppose is wrong with Lady Yuna?" Tenten asked Sakura, who only shrugged. "I don't know, but whatever it is, really shook her up," the medic sighed.

"She seemed conflicted about something," Neji said, "Perhaps Maester Seymour's proposal is troubling her." The shinobi of Rookie 9 hummed in agreement.

"It has to be more than that," Gai interrupted, "I think it's that Jyscal guy that's troubling her."

"Jyscal, Maester Seymour's father…Auron mentioned that his death was 'unclean,' right Gai-sensei?" Lee added. The jounin gave a faint nod. Gaara had one hand over his eye, as if he were in deep thought.

"The question is…who would kill a the leader of the Guado?" Kakashi wondered, "And a maester of Yevon?" Everyone was silent. "Well, in any case, if any of you need sleep, I suggest you do it now," Kakashi said, before walking over to Auron and sitting across from him. He pulled out the orange book.

Neji, Lee, and Sai stayed in the lobby while Sakura, Naruto, and Neji got rooms. Tidus followed Naruto to his room when he stopped at Yuna's. A voice was talking, and it wasn't hers. He stared at the door.

"What's wrong Tidus?" Naruto asked. He had stopped walking and was giving a questioning look to the other blonde. "Hey, isn't that Yuna's room?"

"Do you hear that?" Tidus said as he walked over to the door and placed his ear against it.

"Woah, woah, woah! What're think you're doing?" Naruto whispered, "Hear what?" But Tidus ignored him, pressing his early closer to the door. Naruto kept rambling on how eavesdropping was a bad idea, but Tidus quickly shushed him. He lifted his head up and looked around. No one was coming. Placing a finger to his lips, he placed his ear to the door once again. He placed one hand on the doorknob in an attempt to press his ear harder against the door.

"What do you hear?" Naruto asked as he tried to put his ear against the door as well, knocking into Tidus. The other blonde gave a small cry of protest, and unfortunately for the pair, Yuna's door wasn't closed all the way. They tumbled into her room in a small heap of surprise.

Yuna was sitting on her bed with a sphere. A small hologram of the man Yuna had sent was hovering over the sphere. He seemed to be speaking, but not directly to Yuna. Hearing the crash, she whipped her head to look at the two. "Y-Yes?" she stuttered.

Tidus and Naruto quickly untangled themselves and got up. "I...well... It's nothing, really. I...I just, uh..." Tidus fumbled to find the words as Naruto stared at the hologram. Yuna quickly turned off the sphere, and the hologram disappeared. She looked at the two, equally lost for words.

"I'm sorry...we shouldn't have come in," Tidus finally spoke.

"H-Hey! Wasn't that that Jyscal Guado guy?" Naruto said, pointing to where the hologram had been.

Yuna gave a small nod and looked around the room. "The sphere is his will," she explained, "It says, 'Take care of my son'."

Tidus's eyes widened. "His son...? Seymour?" Yuna nodded and Tidus snorted. "Well, I know one way to take care of him."

Yuna gave a small bow of apology. "I'm sorry," she said, and ran out of the room. Tidus and Naruto exchanged looks of confusion before looking down at the sphere. Tidus picked it up, and suddenly found himself in a headlock. A small "hey!" told him that Naruto had also been caught.

"What do you think you two are up to?" It was Wakka.

"Yuna..." Naruto tried to answer, while trying to escape the choke of death.

"Was acting funny, s-so..." Tidus continued.

"Yeah, yeah!" Wakka cut him off, "She'll tell us when she's ready, so hold your chocobos till then, ya?"

"All right! All right! All right!" the two shouted.

They all went to their respective rooms, needing sleep. With a combination of their exhaustion, and the roaring thunder, they didn't hear the small explosion that had emanated from the lobby, along with some shouts.

When Naruto woke up, he was surprised to see it still storming outside. "Huh, I guess it really doesn't stop raining here, does it?" His thoughts were cut short when Sakura burst into his room, panting. "Sakura-chan!"

"There you are, I thought you'd never wake up," she said as she walked up to him. She grabbed his hand. "C'mon, you need to see this!" She dragged him into the lobby.

"Woah! Slow down, Sakura!"

Everyone was already in the lobby when the pair arrived. Naruto looked at the group, and then at Sakura. "So what's the rush?" he asked, dumbly. His response was a huff.

"Take a closer look, idiot. Not everyone's here," Shikamaru said as he rubbed a hand over his face.

Naruto gazed over everyone's faces. He noticed that Rikku had a small grin on her face. His brow wrinkled in confusion. What was everyone hollering about? His gaze went over the shinobi. Sakura, Sai, Kakashi, Neji, Shikamaru, and Yamato…wait…Yamato?

"Yamato?"

The man raised his hand up in greeting. "Hi there." Naruto's eyes narrowed as he looked for his red-haired friend. "Where's Wakka?" Sakura sweatdropped. Out of two redheads that he knew, he thought of Wakka.

"He's outside," Lulu explained, "He didn't…take to well to the machina you all brought with you."

"Oh." Naruto looked around for his other red-haired friend. "Gaara?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Gone. Him, Lee, Gai, and Tenten."

Naruto's eyes widened. "But…how?" A strange machine, that looked similar to what Yuna had, was thrust in front of him by Sakura. It was the machine that Gaara had showed them while they were resting at a lodge on the Mi'ihen Highroad, before they had a run-in with the Chocobo Eater.

"While you were off in dream-land, we were trying to figure out how this thing worked," Shikamaru began to explain, pointing to the small machina that Gaara had. "You see…it all started when…"

######

_While Naruto, Sakura, and Neji got rooms, Gaara and Gai walked over to Kakashi and sat down next to him. As they sat, Gaara pulled out the sphere-like machine and set it down on the table. "I don't suppose you've figured out a way to get this thing to work," the Kazekage asked the two jounin. _

_They both shook their heads. "I haven't been able to give it much thought, with all that's happen," Kakashi admitted as he rubbed his masked chin with a finger. _

"_Nor I," Gai added. Silence filled the air as the three shinobi stared at the piece of machina, as if staring would scare the machine into working again. _

"_Gaara, I told you that this machina was made by the hands of the Al-Bhed, right?" Auron broke the silence. The redhead gave a small nod. "Why don't you ask Rikku if she'll take a look at it, although with this storm…" he trailed off, looking out the window. Raining like cats and dogs. _

"_Of course, Rikku's an Al Bhed," Gai murmured._

_Auron smirked. "So you knew and hadn't the thought of asking her?" The three shinobi exchanged sheepish looks between them. _

"_But she's asleep," Gaara said, a frown on his face._

"_With this storm, and her fear of lightning, I'm not sure exactly that's true," Auron smirked. _

_Kakashi hummed. "At any rate, who knows the next time we'll be able to rest like this." Once again, the air was filled with silence. But then, who but the Al Bhed princess herself, came walking in the room, her face miserable. _

"_Now's your chance," Auron said to the trio, before turning his attention to Rikku. "Leaving so soon?" The blonde-headed girl glowered at him. _

"_I can't sleep with all this lightning and thunder!" she complained, throwing her hands in the air. _

"_Isn't that why it's called the Thunder Plains?" Shikamaru asked as he and Lee walked up to the group. Rikku glared at the lazy genius, who only smirked in response. Her eyes narrowed. _

"_Hey, where's Sai?" she asked them._

"_Sai's outside, painting," Tenten spoke as she joined the group. _

"_In this weather?" she asked as she looked back outside, "He must be crazy!"_

"_He wants to paint all the places we go to," Shikamaru shrugged. _

_By this time, Auron had had enough chatter from the girl. He gave a knowing look to Gaara, who quickly caught on to the meaning, before walked to the other side of the lobby. Gaara cleared his throat. _

"_Rikku." Green eyes with swirled pupils focused on him, startling him for a moment. As odd as the swirled pupils were, there was a certain, exotic, beauty within them. "Um...we were wondering if you knew how to work this," he said as he pushed the machina toward her. Rikku tilted her head as she examined it, her eyes widening after a moment. _

"_Where did you get this?" Everyone's ears perked up at the tone of her voice. _

"_I don't know where it came from," Gaara said, "When I appeared in Luca, I found it laying beside me."_

"_Do you know what it is?" Kakashi asked, his one eye on her._

_Rikku nodded. "Yeah. This machina is over a hundred years old, maybe even a thousand." Everyone's eyes widened. "A long time ago, a group of Al Bhed tried building a machina that had the power to take people to different dimensions," she explained, "Of course, the early attempts failed, mostly because the machina was too big. So they decided to make it smaller." She turned the machina in her hands. "But by then, such notions were forbidden in Spira, so they had to conceal the machina somehow. They chose to make the machina look like memory spheres." She looked up at the group. _

"_Memory spheres?" Gaara repeated repeated._

"_People use them to record memories," Auron explained from the far side of the lobby, "Yuna's father, Lord Braska, has made some for her. He knew that Yuna would one day follow in his footsteps as a summoner, so he recorded his journey on these spheres, and left them behind for her."_

_Rikku returned her focus to the machina. "I don't even know if this will even work, it's so old. And there haven't been any records about the smaller version." She sat the machina down on the table, and took a seat. "But I can try. After all, what kind of Al Bhed would I be if I'm wasn't a grease monkey, hmm?"_

_She began working on the machina, tweaking here and there. She lightly tapped the surface, and cursed in Al Bhed when there was a slight cracking sound. Everyone, save for the stoic guardian, watched with keen interest. At one point, Rikku sat the machina down with a huff and glared at it. Then she picked it back up, and worked at it again._

_Moments later, she sighed and placed the machina down once more on the table. "Alright, that should do it." She craned her neck around the machina. "Now if I can just activate it…ah, here it is." She reached behind the machina and a small click was heard. She sat back._

_Nothing._

_She flicked the button again._

_Still nothing._

_She gave the machina a slight tap. _

_Silence._

_The shinobi sighed as they realized that the machina wasn't working. Rikku kept tapping it, each tap harsher than the previous, until finally she growled. "Work, you pathetic piece of trash!" she hit the machina with her fist, startling the shinobi. The machina gave a buzz, and a huge smile lit up Rikku's face. But the smile was short live as it became quiet again. Rikku clenched her fists and stood up, knocking the machina away. It clattered to the floor. "Tysh ed!" (Damn it!)_

"_Rikku…" She turned to look at Kakashi. "If you don't mind me asking, why are the Al Bhed after summoners?" She gave him a blank look. _

"_Why are you accusing the Al Bhed?"_

"_I overheard some of your people in Luca talking about it," he gauged her reaction, "Don't misunderstand me, I'm not an Al Bhed hater, and by no means fluent in your language. But I've picked up a couple of words here and there." _

_Rikku tore her gaze from him, and looked up at the ceiling for a while. Only the rain and thunder was heard. "You know what happens to summoners when they complete their pilgrimage…don't you?" The blank looks she go served as her answer. Gaara opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. "No matter how many times Sin is defeated, it just keeps coming back," she said as she closed her eyes. _

_The machina gave another start, but no one noticed. _

"_That's no reason to go kidnapping the only people who can defeat Sin," Gai pointed out._

"_I know," Rikku said sadly, "But…summoner's shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves, just so that the rest of us can live happy lives, you know?"_

_The machina began to give off a small glow. _

"_But that is their choice," Lee pointed out, "Just like we shinobi choose to sacrifice our lives for the sake of our villages." _

"_You don't understand," Rikku shook her head. _

"_I remember hearing that the summoners were 'sacrificing' themselves. I thought the guardians were there to ensure that they didn't die," Kakashi said, his eye narrowing._

_The glow was getting brighter as the machine began to shake. _

"_You…really don't know do you?" Rikku whispered, her eyes wide. Suddenly, the green eyes were filled with anger, and she opened her mouth to speak, but quickly looked down at the machina and gasped. _

_It was whirling like crazy, as if getting ready to blow up. Rikku took a cautious step back from it. Suddenly, a bright beam shot out from the small machina, towards her. _

"_Look out!"_

_A small explosion emitted from the machina and all the shinobi lunged at Rikku to push her out of the way; Gaara, Tenten, Lee, and Gai getting to her first. Everyone else had to cover his or her eyes from the bright light. Rikku puffed as she felt something heavy land on her, knocking her to the ground. The light began to dim._

"_Alright, which one of you meanies landed on me," Rikku groaned as she tried to sit up, but whatever was holding her down wasn't moving. She looked down to see an unfamiliar man in her lap. Her emerald green eyes widened as he put a hand on her chest, trying to study himself. A blush quickly rose to her cheeks._

_The man in her lap groaned as he put a hand to his head, and the other hand down on something soft and plushy. "What just happened?" he closed his eyes and shook his head. _

"_Um…"_

_Blinking slowly, he opened his eyes to see a pretty face with green eyes with spirals. He stared at her, and then looked down at his hand, which was more or less groping her chest. With a gasp he quickly snatched his hand up and fell backwards on his butt. "U-um...I'm so sorry, miss," he tried to apologize, a faint blush adorned on his face. Taking her hand, he pulled them both up. _

"_O-oh, i-its fine. You didn't mean to, so, no worries, ya?" she said shyly. _

"_Tenzou?" Yamato turned to see Kakashi and everyone else. Yamato's eyes filled with relief. "Ah, senpai, I'm glad to see you're doing well. And I'm guessing everyone else is here, yes?" _

"_Yamato-taichou…" They turned their heads to the doorway to see Sai standing there, eyes wide. The man sheepishly raised his hand in greeting._

_Kakashi shook his head. "Not exactly. So far, Naruto, Sakura, Sai, Shikamaru, Team Gai, and Gaara are here."_

"_Excuse me for interrupting, but I don't Gai, Tenten, Lee, or Gaara anywhere," Shikamaru said in a serious tone. Everyone looked around to see that the people Shikamaru pointed out weren't around. _

"_Guess that means the machina works," Auron said as he walked over. Rikku looked down at the machina and picked it up. "So what's the report?" he asked her._

_Rikku shrugged. "The good news is, the machina works. I guess that beam of light is what transports people back and forth. The bad news is, I don't know why only those four disappeared."_

"_I think I have the answer," Shikamaru said, "I agree that the beam is the source of transportation, and it was aimed at you when it decided to work. However, when all of us tried to get to you, Gaara, Tenten, Lee, and Gai were the ones who got to you first." He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "If my memory serves correctly, Gaara got to you first, and then Tenten was right next to him, then Lee, and then Gai. But all four of them blocked the light from getting to you. Make sense? The rest of us were coming at you diagonally and out of the beam's range." _

"_That doesn't explain how __**he**__ got here," Rikku said, pointing to Yamato._

_The jounin gave a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head. "Ah, well I think I can explain that. You see, I was on my way to reporting back to Tsunade-sama, when I passed by the tech squad. They were dealing with something that looks identical to what you have there," he explained as he pointed to the machina Rikku was holding, "It began shaking and making weird sounds, and suddenly a bright light flashed and I found myself here." _

"_You mean you have this machina back in Konoha?" Kakashi asked him, his eye serious. _

_Yamato gave a small nod. "Machina?" he repeated. _

_Kakashi gave a sigh of relief. "Then we might just have a chance of getting home." Yamato gave him a confused look. _

"_Home?"_

_Shikamaru sighed and turned to Auron. "I think we may need a bit more time to rest. It seems we have a lot of catching up to do." _

######

"And that's the gist of it," Shikamaru ended.

"Wow," Naruto breathed, "So…we can go home now?"

"Well…" Rikku said as she put a finger to her lips, "I still have to figure out how this thing works. It didn't work when I flipped the switch." She smiled. "Looks like you're stuck with us for the time being!"

"So there really are other worlds…interesting," Lulu mused.

"Hey, that's what I keep telling you," Tidus told her.

Lulu shook her head. "This is different. You claim to have come from Zanarkand, while they come from an entirely different world."

"Otherwise I'd have to worry about time travel," Rikku joked. A bright flash of lightning followed by a crash of thunder rumbled the room. Rikku cringed. "It's not stopping, is it?"

"Don't tell me you were hoping it would," Auron told her. Another flash of lightning lit the room and Rikku shrieked. Auron sighed. "Fine. Stay here," he said in a frustrated tone before joining Wakka outside the building. Yuna, Kimahri, Sai, Kakashi, and Yamato followed the guardian outside.

"All right, already," Rikku pouted, "But! You didn't have to say it like that, you know! You could be more comforting or something! You know, try to cheer me up? You just don't get me at all, do you? Hey! Are you listening?" Another flash of lightning had her cringing, but she didn't make a sound. "I'm not scared!" she shouted, "I'm not scared, you hear?"

"Hey, Rikku, why are you so scared of lightning?" Sakura asked.

Rikku took a deep breath. "When I was little, a fiend attacked me when I was swimming at the beach. My brother tried to beat it back with a spell." Another flash of lightning and she bit back a yell. "But he missed and hit me instead!" she cried, "It was a thunder spell—bzzzt!"

"Ouch," Tidus commented.

"I've been scared of lightning ever since," Rikku finished.

"But, it _can_ be effective," Lulu pointed out, "Magic is effective against marine fiends."

Rikku nodded. "My brother said that too."

"You should try learning a few spells, too," the black mage suggested. Another bolt of lightning had Rikku cringing. "Hmm…maybe later." She walked out of the building.

"Come on Rikku, we'll all be there right next to you," Sakura tried comforting the girl as she led them all outside.

The group continued the journey across the plains, keeping close to the towers. Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Neji tried answering questions that Yamato had, to the best of their ability. Rikku kept cringing at every lightning bolt, but she kept silent. Soon they could see the blue hues of Macalania woods ahead.

"Kind of reminds me of the Rain Village," Yamato observed.

"I'd say more like the Mist," Kakashi said.

"Nah, it's Konoha on a rainy day!" Naruto interjected. Sakura gave her teammate a dry look.

Yuna suddenly stopped walking. "Everyone...wait." They all turned around to face her.

"What's up?" Wakka asked.

Yuna became hesitant. "I have…something to tell you."

Lulu raised a slender eyebrow. "Here?"

"We're almost out of here! Let's go!" Rikku pointed to where Macalania woods stood.

"I have to say it now!" Yuna said firmly.

Auron looked around, and found a resting spot underneath a shelter of some sort. There were two lightning rods on the roof. "Over there," he gestured towards it. They all huddled underneath the shelter, and looked at Yuna. She took a deep breath.

"I've decided to marry."

"Seriously? You've gotta be kidding me," Naruto shouted, "To that creepy old man-" Kakashi slipped a hand over his ex-student's mouth as Sakura swatted him in the head.

Lulu hummed. "I thought so."

"What made you change your mind?" Kakashi asked.

"For Spira's future...and Yevon's unity," she said with honesty, "I thought it would be the best thing to do."

Auron shook his head. "That's not good enough."

"It's because of Lord Jyscal, isn't it?" Shikamaru sighed. Yuna gasped. Shikamaru turned to face her. "Tidus showed the sphere to us."

Auron walked over to her. "Show me," he gently urged her.

Yuna frantically shook her head. "I can't. I must speak to Maester Seymour first. I truly am sorry, but this is...it is a personal matter."

Wakka shook his head. "You're kidding, ya?"

"As you wish," Auron said as he turned his back on Yuna. "Just one thing."

Yuna nodded. "I won't quit my pilgrimage." Auron seemed satisfied.

"Then it is...fine."

Tidus rushed up to him. "Wait a minute, Auron! You don't care? I mean, you're not going to stop her?"

Auron paused for a moment. "No, I'm not. As long as she is willing to face Sin...all else is her concern. That is a summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys."

Wakka hummed in agreement.

"But that's..." Tidus tried to find the words, but nothing came to him. He growled in frustration.

Naruto broke out of Kakashi's hold. "Well I'm sure not okay with it! I mean, what happened with that Jyscal guy is the guado's problem. Isn't that what you said Wakka?"

"Naruto, shut it," Shikamaru told him in a clipped tone. Naruto was taken aback by the tone. "Now's not the time to go all emotional on us. Yuna's mission is to destroy Sin, and as long as she accomplishes that mission, any sidetracking doesn't matter. As a shinobi of Konoha, you should know that." Naruto stood silent, knowing what his friend said was true.

"Yuna, just one question," Wakka asked, "Can't you just talk to Maester Seymour? You've got to marry him?" He scratched his head.

Yuna gave a helpless shrug. "I don't know. But I think it is the right thing to do."

Rikku approached the summoner. "Yunie..." She put her hands on Yuna's shoulders. Lightning and thunder struck again, and Rikku glared up at the sky. "Quiet!" She turned back to Yuna. "I wish we could help somehow, some way!"

Yuna put her hand on top of Rikku's, and smiled. "It's okay," she reassured the other girl, "I'll be fine."

Auron nodded. "Next, we're going to **Macalania Temple**," he explained, "Yuna can talk with Seymour there. We guardians will wait until they're done, and plan our next move. Understood?"

Everyone nodded, and headed towards the exit of the Thunder Plains.

######

Everyone reached the forest area. It was quiet. A huge comparison to the thunderous plains. Rikku still had her hands clutched in front of her chest, and when she realized there was no more thunder, she jumped for joy before running ahead. Kakashi, Yamato, and Auron were walking behind everyone.

"You're worried about Yuna," Auron noted to Kakashi who only nodded.

"What is she thinking?" the masked nin murmured.

Auron looked ahead to where Rikku was standing. "The simplest answer would be...in exchange for agreeing to marry him...she hopes to negotiate with Seymour."

Yamato's brow furrowed. "Negotiate what?"

Auron's face was stoic. "I wonder." There was a moment of silence. "She's strong, but Seymour is the better negotiator."

Kakashi nodded. "And there's nothing we can do about it?"

"Yuna wants it this way."

"Does she not trust us?" Yamato asked, "She's got a lot of people wanting to protect her. She's in good hands."

"On the contrary..." Auron replied, "She doesn't want us caught up in whatever it is she's planning."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. But it makes me worry even more," Kakashi nodded. The three watched as Naruto began exploring the woods with Sakura and Shikamaru. Neji was standing with Sai, who was crouched in a sitting position, drawing in his notebook. Yuna was standing in deep thought, Kimahri by her side. Tidus was having a serious conversation with Lulu, and Wakka was by himself.

"It's the way she is," Auron explained, ""She's naive, serious to a fault, and doesn't ask for help. She's easy to read."

"Yeah, she is," Kakashi agreed.

"But hard to guard. Keep a close watch on her," Auron said before meeting up with the group.

They rested for a few moments, before headed on the trail. The shinobi were awe-struck as they traveled on the winding paths and branches of the woods. Everything looked like it was made of crystal and glass. The woods itself was peaceful, calm, and serene. There was a certain ethereal beauty within it. They were about to truck up the branch that had wound itself around a large tree trunk when they ran into a familiar muscular man.

"Who's that?" Yamato pointed out.

"I think his name is Bart…or something like that," Shikamaru yawned, "We met him and his summoner—whatever her name is—at Killika temple."

"Hey!" the man called to them. He stopped in front of them, panting for air. "You, have you seen Dona?"

"Dona?" Sakura rolled her eyes at the memory.

"Can't say I have," Tidus gave an apologetic shrug.

Wakka walked up to him. "What's up?"

"We got separated on the way here," Barthello said, getting more hysterical every second, "Damn it all! I've got to find her!"

"Calm down," Kakashi told the man.

"But, if anything happens to her..."

"Running around in a panic is not going to help. Right now, you have to keep cool, and search," Auron said.

"But-"

"Guard your emotions, then guard your summoner," the older guardian spoke.

Barthello was silent for a while. He sighed. "You're right."

"Shall we search?" Yamato offered as he looked at Auron, but Barthello quickly shook his head.

"No, I've taken up enough of your time," he turned to the legendary guardian, "Thank you, Sir Auron." He did the prayer gesture before running off. Rikku ran a couple steps in his direction, and stopped. She seemed unsure about something.

Wakka cocked his head at her. "What's up?"

Rikku, realizing that he was talking to her, shook her head. "Oh, I just wanted to wish him good luck."

They walked deeper into the woods. When it seemed like they were at the heart of the woods, Auron stopped. "Wait," he said, "It is here...somewhere."

Tidus gave the older man a look. "What's here?"

"Something you should see."

The shinobi exchanged confused looks.

"But, Sir Auron..." Yuna protested but he cut her off.

"It won't take long." Auron began slicing repeatedly into a tree, clearing a path for them to pass through. He went in first, and the others followed. He led them to a lake of some sort, with a large tree in it. The roots were visible underneath. Sai, once again, whipped out his notebook and began sketching.

"This is what spheres are made of," Auron explained. "It absorbs and preserves people's memories."

"This is amazing! Its just water, isn't it?" Sakura asked.

Suddenly, the water began to viciously ripple, and a large blob rose from it.

"What's that?" Wakka cried.

"Fiends are also attracted to these places," Auron said, "This is a Spherimorph." He readied his sword.

"So…this is a fiend?" Yamato asked as he got into a fighting stance.

"One of many," Kakashi answered.

The Spherimorph floated over towards Kakashi, shaping itself into a large cylinder, before crashing down upon him. Kakashi, who had sensed the attack, quickly dodged it. He threw a couple of kunai at it, but it only seemed to scratch the fiend, nothing serious.

"Hmph, this could be a long fight," he called to the others.

Yamato clasped his hands together ready to activate a wood release technique, and was surprised to find a cage of crystal glass appear around the fiend, instead of wood. However, the cage proved to be useless as the fiend easily slid from between the glass bars.

"I guess the trees here don't have brown roots," Kakashi offered lamely.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto cried, and a bunch of clones appeared. They attacked the Spherimorph, but it was like attacking Jell-O. All the physical attacks they did seem to just bounce off. Neji's clan techniques couldn't harm it either.

A glittering light surrounded the fiend, and Yamato suddenly found himself sputtering for air as water suddenly came out of no where and doused him. "What the hell was that?"

"A water spell," Lulu replied, "Hmm…I wonder…" She quickly raised her arm and casted a thunder spell towards the fiend. It made damage. "Opposing elements," she murmured.

"Be careful, it tends to change its elemental weakness," Auron cautioned her. He turned to Yuna. "We need to make this quick. Why don't you call the aeon you received from Djose? We'll buy you some time."

Yuna nodded. "Right." She flung her arms out and the four green orbs appeared and lifted up into the air. Electricity formed at the top of her staff, and four columns of lightning surrounded her. Suddenly, the lightning disappeared and a huge globe of light shone on her staff. She swung it to her right, as if swinging to hit something, and a bolt of lightning came out of her staff. It hit the air, and a glyph-like portal lit up. A horn poked out of the portal, lightning attached from the tip to her staff. Carefully, Yuna pulled her staff away, as if pulling out whatever it was from the portal. The portal shattered as a huge horse jumped out. Sparks lit the ground everytime its hooves touched it. It reared up and gave a cry.

"What in the world?" Yamato's eyes were wide.

"This, s an aeon," Kakashi explained.

Yuna nodded towards the aeon.

"Better stand back now," Kakashi warned.

The aeon jumped back. It reared and light collected upon the tip of its long jagged horn. A small explosion of light was seen and a large white beam shot towards the fiend, trapping it in a purple, electric sphere. The aeon raised its head, making the fiend move up as well. The fiend was suspended in the air, and a huge burst of energy shot towards it from the horn, following the path of the beam. It hit the fiend with a huge explosion.

The fiend dropped to the ground unceremoniously, and melted away in pyreflies.

"Cool, huh?" Naruto grinned at Yamato who looked to be in shock.

"I didn't think such power existed," Yamato said, "You sure it's not some sort of summoning technique?"

"It's summoning all right, but not what you're used too," Kakashi said.

Tidus picked up a sphere that had appeared after the fiend's death. Wakka walked over to him and looked at it. "Whoa, this is old! Don't know if you can play it back."

"Jecht left it here ten years ago," Auron said, "Play it back."

######

_There was a man facing them on the screen. He had a gruff appearance, a scar on his face, and a huge tattoo on his shirtless chest. He seemed to be in the same place where they were. The man was sitting indian style._

_"Hey," the voice was rough, "If you're sitting there, watching this...it means you're stuck in Spira, like me. You might not know when you'll get back home, but you better not be crying! Although, I guess I'd understand. But you know what? There's a time when you have to stop crying and move on. You'll be fine. Remember, you're my son. And... Well, uh..." The man sighed. "Never mind. I'm not good at these things."_

He stood off and walked off screen. The screen went blank.

"I think there's more" Rikku said. The screen lit up again_. _

_They couldn't see the man, but they heard his voice._

_"Anyways...I believe in you. Be good. Goodbye."_

######

"He sounded almost serious, but it was too late," Tidus commented.

"That…that was your dad?" Naruto asked. Tidus nodded.

"He _was_serious," Auron said, "Jecht had already accepted his fate."

"His fate?" Neji repeated.

"Jecht... He..." Auron began, "He was always talking about going home, to Zanarkand. That's why he took all those pictures-to show them to you when he returned. But as he journeyed with us and came to understand Spira, and Braska's resolve...It happened gradually, but Jecht changed. He decided he would join Braska in his fight against Sin."

Tidus nodded. "So then, he gave up going home?"

"That was his decision."

Tidus hung his head. "I guess I understand now. My old man...he knew there was no way back home, back to Zanarkand. He wanted to go home, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't go on until he accepted it. Besides..." he looked up at everyone, "Even if he had found a way back...I don't think he would've left his friends behind before their journey was complete."

Rikku looked at the shinobi. "That's kind of what you guys are doing, right?" She received confused looks. "You could've bothered me about fixing the machina, but you didn't. You wouldn't just leave us like this, right?"

Kakashi hummed while the rest of the shinobi exchanged smiles.

"You bet we wouldn't!" Naruto grinned, "Even though it's not 'our duty,' or whatever, we've started helping you guys, and we're gonna see it finished. Believe it!"

Tidus nodded with determination. "It's time I accepted my own fate. All right! Let's go, guys!" He started walking away.

"Wait," Auron stopped him. "Jecht loved you."

A chorus of 'awws' filled the air.

Tidus scratched his head. "Oh, come on, please!"

"He just didn't know how to express it, he said."

"Enough about my old man, okay?" Tidus gritted.

Auron was silent before walking away. "I just thought you should know." Everyone else followed, leaving Tidus by himself.

"Thanks."

He followed everyone out, and back onto the path. As they exited the path, they were met with a wide, snowy, open area. Everything was covered in a white, tinted-blue, blanket. There was a crisp wind that kept blowing around. Another small Al Bhed lodge was seen, and there was a sign that said "Macalania Lake."

Naruto automatically rubbed his hands on his arms, but was surprised to find that it wasn't that cold, or at least as cold as it should be. He looked over at his teammates and sensei to see that they were just as confused as he was.

"It's because of the fayth, that the cold is bearable," Lulu explained, "Macalania Woods exists, and the lake is frozen, because of the fayth. With it, the woods would fade, and the lake would melt."

"The fayth does this?" Neji asked.

"The fayth of Macalania temple, yes."

"I still can't believe any of this," Yamato murmured as he ran a hand through his hair.

"It's okay, Yamato-taichou. I read in a book that shock usually wears off after a while," Sai tried to comfort his captain, who only sweat-dropped in response.

They walked towards the Al Bhed lodge, and noticed an older guado man standing next to it. "Lady Yuna, we've been expecting you." It was Tromell. "We were surprised you decided to come so soon. Pleasantly surprised, of course," he smiled before bowing, "Lord Seymour sends his apologies for having left without notice."

Yuna shook her head gently. "It's quite all right." She hesitated. "I have one question, if I may, sir."

"My lady?"

Yuna lifted a dainty hand to her chest, casting her gaze to the ground. "I want to keep journeying, even if I marry." She looked up at Tromell. "Do you think that Maester Seymour would let me?"

"But of course, my lady," Tromell said as he made a gesture," Lord Seymour wishes nothing else, I'm sure." Naruto snorted at his response.

Relief upon her face, Yuna turned to her group, and nodded to them. "Goodbye." She walked up to Tromell, who gave an apologetic look to the group.

"Well...we must follow Guado tradition," he told them, "I'll have to ask you to wait here a little while longer. I'll send someone to escort you." He began to walk away, Yuna in tow, until she stopped.

She hesitated. "I..."

Auron spoke up. "We're all with you," he reassured her, "Do as you will."

Yuna smiled before turning to follow Tromell once more. "Thank you."

Naruto whined, hemmed, and hawed, as they watched Yuna and Tromell walk down the ramp and to the wide frozen lake.

"Naruto, there's nothing we can do," Sakura sighed, "Even though we all don't like it, this is her choice."

"And don't forget that she's going to complete her pilgrimage on top of this," Kakashi added.

"Sorry," Auron spoke up, catching everyone's attention. Tidus realized that the older guardian's gaze was on him. "That was your line." Catching the meaning behind the older man's words, Tidus ran forward.

"Yuna!" He yelled. He stopped and whistled.

Yuna stopped and turned to look at him. "Yes sir!" she said with a smile. She and Tromell began to walk across the lake's surface, when something in the distance caught Rikku's eye.

"Oh, no!" she cried, shaking her hands.

Several people on what appeared to be jumbo-sized skidoo's encircle Yuna and Tromell. They were all wearing goggles.

Wakka's eyes widened. "Al Bhed!"

Everyone quickly ran to the pair, surrounding them in a defensive circle. The Al Bhed men were quick to jump off their ski doo's and quickly retreated before any of the shinobi could get to them.

Auron looked back at Tromell and Yuna. "Stand back," he ordered them.

"Thank you!" Tromell breathed, trying to calm himself down. He gently took Yuna by the arm and began to escort her away, but she ripped her arm out of his grasp and rejoined the group. "Lady Yuna!" he cried.

"I will fight alongside my guardians. Please wait somewhere safe," she told him with no room for argument. Tromell gladly did as he was told.

"**Rikku**!"

They all looked up to see a man is standing on top of a hill of ice. It appeared to be the Mohawk guy from the Al Bhed ship where Tidus and Naruto met Rikku.

"This guy is behind the kidnappings?! I don't believe it!" Naruto grumbled.

"Brother?" Sakura whispered.

The Al Bhed man pointed at Rikku. "Tuh'd ehdanvana un oui kad drec!" (Don't interfere or you get this!). Beside him, a large machina cannon rolled up. "Ouin bnaleuic **magic** yht **aeons**yna caymat!" (Your precious magic and aeons are sealed!) he cackled.

Rikku clutched her head. "Oh, no!" she cried.

"Translation?" Tidus asked her as he pulled out his sword.

"He's gonna use an anti-magic field on us!"

"Kad dras!" (Get them!) the Al Bhed man cried and the cannon rolled down the hill, and landed in front of the group. A small machina was hovering around it.

"If you want to use magic, we need to destroy that thing first!" Rikku pointed out.

"No problem," Wakka smirked. He threw his blitzball at the flying machina, but kept missing. "Ah, damn it! I can't hit it!" He kept throwing it, only hitting the machina once or twice. It gave a whirl as it was hit.

Kakashi dodged an attack that was made by the bigger machina. "Lulu," he called out to her, "I'd go a safe distance to be until we can destroy the anti-magic field." Sai pulled out his scrolls ink tigers jumped out of the scroll and towards the machina.

"As if that's possible, we're in a wide open area," Shikamaru growled as he dodged a spell the flying machina casted.

Suddenly, a crystal-glass dome covered Lulu. They all turned to see Yamato giving them a thumbs-up. "She'll be safe in there," he assured Yuna, "As long as I'm here, the barrier won't disappear."

Neji deflected a thunder spell with the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. "It's similar to the machina machine we fought back in Luca, when Lady Yuna was first captured," he noted, "That must mean that it's weak against lightning."

"Hey, you're catching on!" Rikku grinned.

"Were you controlling that machina too?" Sai asked with a fox-eyed smile.

Her grin fell.

Kakashi nodded. Lightning, huh? He quickly formed a familiar, electrical ball of chakra in his hands, and rushed forward towards the big machina. "Lightning Blade!" His fist collided into the machina. Parts of it chipped away, but the machina was still standing. Kimahri let out a battle cry, and speared the machina with his lance.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that to beat this big boy," Rikku explained. Her eyes widened as she saw two of three lights blinking at the end of the canon. "Oh, no!"

"What now?" Naruto shouted.

"You see those three lights there? Two of them are blinking. When all of them are blinking, it'll use it's Mana Beam attack. And when it does, we'll be goners!" Rikku cried.

"Shannaro!" Sakura yelled as she got ready to punch the ground.

"Wait, Sakura!" Yuna called out to her, making her stop.

"Smash the ground, and we'll all go under," Auron explained.

She pouted as a slight blush adorned her cheeks. And then, like a cat with a toy, lunged towards the flying machina and punched it to pieces. It shattered in a tiny explosion. She smirked at Auron who slowly shook his head, smiling.

"The three lights are blinking!" Sai called out.

"Why is it that everytime we're up against machina, we shinobi can't do a _damn thing_?" Shikamaru scowled, "What a drag." He crouched into a sitting position. "Shadow Possession jutsu!" The big machina froze. "Naruto, see if you can find an off switch!"

The blonde-haired nodded as he ran towards the machina and jumped on it. He scrambled around the cold piece of machinery. "I don't see it!" he yelled.

"What a drag," Shikamaru mumbled as he felt his hold on the machina weaken.

"There _is _no switch," Rikku shouted, "None that you'd be able to figure out anyway!"

"Not helping," Shikamaru gritted.

They all stopped as they heard a cry from Yuna. Tidus looked to see some Al Bhed trying to drag her with them.

"Yuna!"

He rushed towards her as Kakashi and Neji quickly dispatched the Al Bhed kidnappers, knocking them out. He quickly helped her up. "Are you okay?" She nodded. He smiled and positioned himself in front of her. "Stay close to me. I'm a your guardian, remember?" he said back to her.

The large machina jerked, throwing Naruto off, and gave a rumble. The shadows quickly retreated back to Shikamaru, who went down on his hands and knees, panting. The machina began whirling, and a huge sphere of light gathered at the end of the canon.

"Everyone, look out!" Rikku shouted.

Tidus covered Yuna with his body as everyone else braced themselves for the attack.

_POOF! _

Naruto felt the ground slightly rumble beneath him. "Huh?" He looked up to find a familiar, huge, red, toad. "Gamabunta!? Then that must mean…" Upon the top of the large toad's head, was a familiar white-haired man with a red stripe coming down vertically from his each eye. "Pervy-sage!" Naruto cried as a huge smile lit his face.

The Legendary Sanin gave a thumbs-up to Naruto before nodding to Gamabunta. The massive toad unsheathed his tantō and sliced the machina in two. Sparks of electricity emitted from the machina, before making a big explosion. Yamato released the barrier around Lulu as parts of the machina fell in a heap before them.

"Pervy-Sage! I can't believe you're really here! Wow, did you appear here, or did you appear somewhere else and just walk here? Do you know what's going on? Or do I get to be 'sensei' this time?" Naruto started firing off questions.

"Jiraiya-sama! You better have a good reason in bringing Gamabunta here!" Sakura stormed over to him.

Jiraiya pouted as he jumped off his companion's head. "This is the thanks I get for saving you guys' lives? Hmph, maybe I'll just watch you guys battle from now on. Don't mind me."

"You _do_ realize that Gamabunta is standing on a frozen lake," Kakashi told the perverted sanin, his lazily eye watching him. Yamato sighed and put a hand to his head.

Jiraiya held a finger up to his chin. "Is that right? Hmm…well Gamabunta, I guess that's your cue to go." The toad just grunted and grumbled about hating snow before disappearing in a big cloud of smoke. Yuna, who was quite awestruck at Gamabunta, quickly ran over to Jiraiya with Tidus on her heels.

"Sir Kakashi," Yuna panted, trying to catch her breath, "Was that…that huge toad…was that done by what you call a 'summoning technique'?" Her eyes were wide with excitement. "It was about as big as an aeon, but I know it wasn't."

Before Kakashi could explain, Jiraiya suddenly cut in. He had a cheesy smile and his cheeks held a red tint to them. "Well now, aren't you quite the beauty!" he gushed, "And what's you're name little lady?"

Tidus scowled. "Her name's Yuna. And she's off limits, buddy," he growled. Jiraiya looked back and forth from Tidus to Yuna. "Are you two lovers?" he started getting excited, "This is great! I'll finally have a new idea for my new book!"

"Jiraiya-sama…" Kakashi began.

"Yuna!" the summoner turned to see the black mage running towards her. "Are you all right?" Lulu looked the young girl over for any injuries. Upon seeing the voluptuous black mage's…um…chest…Jiraiya's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and he wiped his nose (not noticing the red color that now stained his hands). "Uh…buahaha…ahhh…."

"Oh boy…c'mon Pervy-Sage. Can't you act normal for just _one_ minute?" Naruto sighed in frustration.

A stress mark appeared on Jiraiya's forehead. "How many times do I _have_ to tell you to _not call me that_!" He crossed his arms. "Besides, is that any way to treat your sensei?"

"Wow, how many more people are you guys looking for?" Rikku popped up, Wakka looking troubled and deep in thought as he stood beside her.

Jiraiya was in heaven. He whipped out his notebook and began planning his next volume of Icha Icha Paradise, only to be smacked in the head by Sakura. "They don't call me a second-Tsunade for nothing," she sniffed.

"My lady!" Tromell called out as he walked from his hiding spot, over to Yuna. She faltered for a moment, before sighing.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Sir Tromell," Yuna said, "Let us proceed to the Temple of Macalania."

"Of course, my lady. Right this way," Tromell gestured her to follow him, and the two were once again, were off.

Jiraiya looked after them with a thoughtful look on his face.

"**Rikku**!" They all turned to see the Mohawk guy on the hill again. "E femm damm Vydran!" (I will tell Father!) he called to her.

"E ys dra **guardian** uv **Yuna**, oui caa? **Yuna**ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran! Cra ec cyva!" (I am the guardian of Yuna, you see? Yuna is safe! We will guard her! She is safe!) Rikku yelled back, trying to get the man to understand.

The man shook his head. "Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!" (You do this alone, sister!) and ran off.

Rikku looked after him, and giggled to herself. "I told him I was a guardian," she put a finger to her lips, "Well, guess I had to, really."

Wakka uncrossed his arms and gave Rikku a suspicious look. "How come you speak Al Bhed? Why?"

Everyone was silent, Jiraiya observing the situation with keen interest.

Rikku looked down at the ground, ashamed. "Because I'm Al Bhed. And that...was my brother."

Wakka glared at Tidus and Lulu. "You knew?" They nodded. Wakka's eyes hardened. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We knew you'd be upset," Lulu said, her voice was sincere.

Wakka growled and threw his hands up in the air. "This is great. I can't believe I've been travelling with an Al Bhed! A heathen!"

"Now just wait a minute—" Naruto tried to intervene, but a look from Kakashi made him silent.

"You're wrong!" Rikku argued, "We have nothing against Yevon."

"But you Al Bhed use the forbidden machina! You know what that means?" Wakka argued back, "Sin was born because people used machina!"

Rikku took a deep breath, her green eyes flashing with anger. "You got proof? Show me proof!"

Wakka crossed his arms again. "It's in Yevon's teachings!" he looked away from her, "Not that you'd know!"

Rikku shook her head. "That's not good enough!" she replied, "Yevon says this, Yevon says that. Can't you think for yourself?" She tapped her head for emphasis.

Wakka leaned towards her. "Well, then you tell me! Where did Sin come from, huh?" Sai and Shikamaru opened their mouths but a steamy look from Sakura made them wisely choose other options.

Rikku was at a loss for words. "I...I don't know!" she admitted.

"Hmph, you bad mouth Yevon, and that's all you can come up with?"

Rikku shook her head. "But...that doesn't mean you should do whatever they say without thinking!" she threw her arms out. "Nothing will ever change that way!"

"Nothing has to change!"

"You want Sin to keep coming back?" Rikku shouted, "There might be a way to stop it, you know!"

"Sin will be gone once we atone for our past mistakes!"

"When? How?" Rikku demanded.

"If we keep faith in Yevon's techings it will be gone one day!"

Rikku just glared at the Besaid man. "Why do I even bother?"

"One day…yeah right," Shikamaru snorted, "Sitting around doing nothing, and poof…Sin is gone."

"What do you know, hm? Nothing. You're not even from Spira," Wakka said to the lazy genius.

"You know what, Wakka? You're right. We're not from Spira," Naruto said in a calm tone, which made everyone a little uncomfortable. "But you know what? Rikku has stood by our side, stood by _Yuna's_ side each step of the way. She has stuck with us through each battle, even overcame her fear of thunder just so that she'd be there for Yuna. She proved herself as a guardian, and you're just going to throw away your friendship just because she's an Al Bhed?! You're both fighting for the same thing! We all are." He was shouting by now.

Everyone was silent. Wakka just stood with his arms crossed.

"Naruto, why don't you come with me for a bit and fill me in on things?" Jiraiya suggested, trying to diffuse the tension. He gently put a hand on the boy's shoulder a walked a few paces away from the group. Kakashi and Yamato followed, knowing that they could help provide answers.

"As much as an idiot Naruto is, he's got a point," Neji said reasoned quietly, "If you're not willing to let go of the past…how do you expect there to be a future?"

"And if you don't want things to change, how can Sin just all of a sudden decide _not _to come back? I mean…Rikku's got a point too," Shikamaru added, "You say that things don't have to change, but Sin _not_ coming back is a huge change…if you ask me."

Wakka's eyes softened for a moment.

"Rikku! Will this move?" Auron was standing beside one of the big skidoos the Al Bhed had left behind. She nodded and ran towards it, and began to fix it.

Wakka eyes widened. "We're not using that, are we?" he gave Auron a suspicious look. "Wait...Sir Auron isn't Al Bhed too, is he?"

Tidus sighed in frustration. "Come on, Wakka..."

"What?"

"I mean, getting angry just 'cause you found out Rikku's an Al Bhed..." Tidus began, "You guys got along fine till now, didn't you?"

Wakka just scoffed. "That's different. I mean..."

Tidus crossed his arms. "Well, I don't claim to know that much about Spira. And I probably know even less about the Al Bhed, but..." he looked over at Rikku, "I know Rikku's a good person."

"She's just Rikku!" Sakura added with a nod.

Wakka shook his head and looked at the black mage. "Lu?"

"Just think of this as an opportunity to learn more about the Al Bhed."

"Ha!" Wakka spat and walked away. Tidus made a move to go after him.

"Let him go," Auron said to him, "Give him time to think."

Rikku took a couple steps forward. "I'm sorry," she said. Her voice was sincere.

"You've done nothing to apologize for," Lulu told her.

Tidus shrugged. "All right! Let's ride!" he started walking towards one of the skidoos.

"You sure you know how to drive this?" Rikku asked him. They watched as Kimahri flipped one over that was upside down, sit on it, and drive away.

"Better than Kimahri does!" He sat on one, Rikku sitting behind him, while Auron and Lulu were on the other. Rikku looked around to see that no more vehicles were around. "Um…"

"It's okay Rikku," Sakura reassured the other girl, "We're fine with walking." She looked over where Naruto, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Yamato were. "Besides, I think we have some catching up to do."

"We'll meet you up at the temple," Neji said, "All we have to do is follow the path, right?"

"Yup!"

"Don't you too get cozy, now," Sai said with a smile. There was a pregnant pause, and everyone sweatdropped at his comment. "I read somewhere that girls enjoy riding behind a boy. They love the feeling of wrapping their arms around—"

"O-o-okay Sai, I think we get it, but I don't think that's the case," Sakura shoved a hand over his mouth.

With a nod from Auron, the four drove off, leaving the shinobi behind.

######

_In Konoha…_

Tsunade had a hand to her forehead, in deep thought. She grasped a small cup that was on her desk, downed its contents—reveling in the burning sensation, and slammed it back down. She eyed the four figures that were currently standing before her.

"Tsunade-sama—" she held up a hand for silence.

"So, tell me again, what the _hell_ just happened?"

######

**A/N:** That took FOREVER! I must apologize for the slow update, but I've had some unnecessary drama at college. I am no longer a music student, and I am solely studying creative writing. I'm also taking Latin ^_^ Anyway, So what did you all think? I'm REALLY sorry if the battles weren't what you expected, like maybe…too short? If I edit this, I'll definitely extend those fight scenes, but it's hard to write them as a "Naruto battle" and not a "game battle." Anyway, the whole shabang: review/alert/favorite away my lovely readers!

Oh…and one more thing…there's going to be another transportation action. So my question for all you readers: who from the Naruto world, do you want in the world of Spira? Coinciding, who would you exchange? FF characters will obviously stay in the FF world, but Naruto, Sakura, and Sai (and probably Kakashi) are off limits (unless you're _very _persuasive with your reasoning).


	13. Seymour's Ambition

**A/N** – I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy X.

Chapter 13

BOBOBOBO – I've comeback from the graveyard of those who have died while taking their midterms! Um…Lulu is useless for most of the game, until you manage to upgrade her sphere grid. A LOT! Her evading skills were good thought, but her physical defenses SUCKED BALLS! And let's not forget the pathetic attempt at having her attack—out of curiosity—with her moogle, and only making a damage of like…5. -_- You know, maybe I will take out Shikamaru. You're right about him being too intelligent. It could work I agree, Kiba is awesome!

Thanks to all the readers who reviewed my last chapter! Your suggestions on who to replace/take out/add in were very helpful, and you'll be able to see the final decision soon! Keep reading, and I'll keep updating as much as my time allows it!

Chapter 13

_In Konoha…_

Tsunade had a hand to her forehead, in deep thought. She grasped a small cup that was on her desk, downed its contents—reveling in the burning sensation, and slammed it back down. She eyed the four figures that were currently standing before her.

"Tsunade-sama—" she held up a hand for silence.

"So, tell me again, what the _hell_ just happened?"

Gai, Lee, and Tenten all exchange nervous glances. Gaara merely crossed his arms, looking calm.

"Well, you see…" Gai began.

Tenten spoke up. "There was this machine that we had back in Spira, and—"

Tsunade cut her off with a raised hand. "…I'm sorry, where?" she asked after a pause.

"Spira, mi'lady," Gai repeated, "We were all taken to the land of Spira."

Tsunade gave a slow nod of her head, eyes calculating. "Uh-huh, and where is this…Spira? Can we find it on a map or something?"

"Unfortunetly, no," Gaara answered, "The reason we were transported back here was because of a certain machine."

"What did it look like?"

"It was blue and round, like a sphere," Lee said.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, observing the four. She closed her eyes in thought for a moment, before inhaling. "You all should come with me," she sighed as she stood up. She turned to Gaara, "You'd better go check-in with Temari and Kankuro. Those two are worried sick."

"I will."

"Shizune, when Gaara is done with his family reunion, lead him to Konoha's technology department."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

The Godaime motioned for the other three to follow her. She led them to a room that was filled with different machines and robotics. She stopped at a certain station that was labeled P-1. "Did the machine look somewhat like this?"

Team Gai, minus Neji, looked at each other, their eyes wide.

"How—what….where did this come from?" Gai stuttered.

"Do you remembers those portals that kept opening, when that enormous monster popped out of nowhere?" The trio nodded. "Apparently, when the portals closed up, this machine here fell out of one of them."

"I didn't know there were two," Tenten muttered.

"Captain Yamato was suppose to report back to me after exploring the portal sites, but he hasn't come back yet….I wonder why," Tsunade explained.

One of the technology staff members overheard the conversation, and nervously interrupted.

"Uhh…mi'lady. Yamato-san _had _come to the department, and…uh…the machine started shaking and making noise—and then a bright light flashed. After the light died down, he wasn't there anymore, and instead, Gai-sensei and his team were lying on the ground, where Yamato-san was standing."

Tsunade rubbed a finger under her chin. "Well that's interesting," she mused, "Are you saying that this machine can be used to transport people?"

"I'm not sure," the employee replied, "But we're doing everything we can to figure it out."

Tsunade gave him a curt nod, before returning her attention to the trio, now a quartet. Gaara had returned, and was examining the machine.

"There's not much we can do," he stated, "This piece of machina can only be fixed by an Al Bhed."

"What's that?"

Gaara placed the machine down, "Lady-Tsunade, perhaps we could talk this over dinner. I'm afraid it isn't something simple like a mission report."

"Mission reports are _not_ simple." Tsunade eyed the Kazekage for a moment, before sighing. "All right. Shizune, bring the sake. And make sure it's _strong_."

######

After walking a stable-looking bridge of snow and ice, the group reached the entrance to Macalania Temple. The shinobi were in awe when they saw the bridge curve around to a floating temple.

Naruto looked up, and gazed at the translucent veil of thin ice that seemed to be attached to the top of the temple. Were they in some sort of bubble? Actually, it seemed more like an ice cavern; the light was dull because of all the snow and ice. He peered down below, but it was too dimly lit to make anything out.

A guard was standing in front of the door. Upon seeing Rikku, he took a couple steps forward, aggressively. "Halt!" Everyone stopped.

"What now?" Naruto huffed.

"The likes of her are not welcome in this hallowed place."

"She's a guardian," Kakashi pointed out, his eye narrowing.

The guard let out a bark of laughter. "An Al Bhed, a guardian? Preposterous!"

Rikku nodded, lacing her hands in front of her. "I've decided to be Yuna's guardian now, and that's all I want." Her voice was honest and sincere.

Auron walked up next to her. "And that's all one needs to be a guardian," he said in a calm tone.

The guard, who was still eyeing Rikku, sighed. "Very well." He reluctantly allowed the group to pass. Sai took out his sketching notebook.

"You're not going in?" the guard asked him.

Sai gave him a smile. "Not yet, I want to make a drawing of this temple first." Shrugging, the guard returned to his post.

Upon entering, the group was approached by a familiar Yevon priestess.

"Ah! There you are!" It was Shelinda. "So Lady Yuna _is_ getting married. You shouldn't kid around about these things."

Tidus scratched his head. "Yeah, I guess so."

"You're not happy?"

"Of course he's not happy!" Naruto said, "The love of his life is—ow!" He turned to glare at Sakura who was looking up at the temple ceiling with great interest. Shelinda gave them a confused look.

Tidus gave a nervous laugh and shrugged. "Nah, it's complicated," he turned to walk away, but stopped. "Say...do you know where Yuna is?"

Shelinda put a finger to her chin, in thought. "I believe..." she put the finger down, "she's gone to the Cloister of Trials with Maester Seymour."

Jiraiya, upon seeing the priestess, immedietly began his perverted actions, but Sakura quickly put an end to it.

"_Behave_," she hissed at sanin, "We don't have time for your research now."

Kakashi crossed his arms, his eye narrowed. "I wonder why she went on without waiting for us?"

Naruto made a face. "And why _Seymour_?"

"Who's Seymour again?" Jiraiya asked, lost with what everyone was worried about.

"You'll see him soon enough," Auron told the sannin.

Sakura shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, hoping the friction would warm her up. "It's cold in here." Kakashi secretly maneuvered himself so that he was standing close to Sakura. Sakura, not noticing his close proximity, only reveled in the slightly increased temperature.

While the temple was a great deal warmer than outside, it was still chilly to those wearing sleeveless shirts. They were all waiting in the lobby area of the temple, when suddenly, a woman burst out of one of the temple rooms.

"Lord Jyscal!" she cried, falling to the ground in an apologetic bow, "A sphere, in Lady Yuna's belongings..."

"What's happening, now?" Naruto asked, staring at the woman who was still on the ground.

"The sphere…from the Farplane!" Lulu said as she looked at Auron.

Everyone ran into the room the woman had come out of. They found the sphere lying on the bed.

"This may well answer a few questions," the legendary guardian said.

Tidus took the sphere, placed it on the floor, and turned it on. An image of Lord Jyscal, with a cloudy background as if he was underwater was seen. Every so often, lightning appeared to strike in the distant background, and they saw that it was raining.

"Lord Jyscal!" Wakka cried.

The image of Jyscal stood still, before talking.

"What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth. I swear it on my honor as a Guado. Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my son, Seymour."

Everyone was listening intently.

"His mind is closed even to me, a maester of Yevon. But I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado, and even the summoners. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son."

They gasped.

"Well, this is an interesting twist," Sai said with a smile.

"No way! Seymour killed his old man?" Naruto shouted. Sakura quickly shushed him as the sphere continued.

"But I do not fault him. Because I was not wise enough, he has suffered, and become twisted. I could not protect him and his mother from the world and its cruelty. I will accept death as punishment for my deeds. But whoever is watching this...I implore you to stop Seymour! Stop my son."

The sphere went blank, signaling that it was done.

"Wonderful," Auron said dryly.

"You know, were you guys actually told _how_ he died?" Shikamaru asked as he crossed his arms.

"They told us that he'd died from old age," Lulu said, confused.

"Who is 'they'?" Kakashi asked.

"Maester Mika, and all the other priests of Yevon," Wakka replied, "Who else?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome, are you telling me that even the priests of Yevon don't even know that Seymour is a killer?"

Lulu and Wakka were silent.

"I doubt they would tell Spira about it," Jiraiya said, deep in thought, "It would bring bad news for the Guado. That would be like something bad happening in Konoha, and telling the entire Fire Country about it. Those matters are kept on the down low."

Rikku had a worried look on her face. "Will Yuna be all right?"

"Without us, no," Auron said, before leaving the room.

Kimahri and Rikku followed Auron out of the room. Tidus turned to follow, but was stopped by the blitzball captain.

"Where you goin'?"

"You saw, didn't you? Seymour's bad news!" Tidus replied.

"But he's a maester!"

Tidus huffed. "Fine! Stay here if you want!" He'd had enough of Wakka's loyalty with Yevon. Rikku was right. He'd believe anything Yevon told them: this, that, etc. He stomped out of the room.

"Maester or not," Neji said, "He's still a killer. Just because his authority is higher doesn't mean he can go killing whoever he wanted to."

"The ends doesn't justify the means," Shikamaru agreed. He stretched and yawned. "Well, I don't know about you, Wakka. But I agree with Auron. Without us, Yuna will be in danger. And as her guardian, we need to protect her. Even from a maester." Putting his hands in his pocket, the lazy genius walked out.

Yamato, not knowing what else to do, walked out of the room. Kakashi turned to go as well, Jiraiya following him, and stopped. "Come on, you three," he called out to Sakura, Sai, and Naruto, "Let's go"

They all went to leave, with Naruto giving one last glance back at Wakka, who looked conflicted.

"Come on, Wakka," Lulu said after a moment, "Let's at least hear him out."

"This can't be happening," Wakka groaned, as he allowed himself to follow the black mage out of the room.

Walking out into the lobby, they headed up the stairs to the Cloister of Trials. It seemed easy enough: it was a tunnel made out of snow and ice.

"Interesting," Jiraiya observed.

"That's it?" Sakura asked, skeptical, "The other trials had us actually do something."

When the group had completely crossed the tunnel, a bright light flashed.

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "That was weird," she commented.

Auron turned towards the group. "Kimahri's up ahead. Go."

Tidus pumped a fist. "Right!"

"We will protect Yuna from anyone," Auron declared, looking at directly Wakka through his sunglasses. "Even a maester."

Wakka shook his head and moaned, "This can't be happening."

"If he is truly at fault, it must be done," Jiraiya said.

Wasting no more time, they ran through the tunnel to the next room, where they saw Seymour. He was standing on the staircase leading to the Chamber of the Fayth, waiting for Yuna. He was flanked by two other guado. The room seemed oddly quiet, and calm. Too calm. It was sort of…eerie.

Tidus clenched his fists, his eyes burning. He took a deep breath. "Seymour!" he shouted.

Seymour looked over his left shoulder. "Please be silent. Lady Yuna prays to the fayth."

"Make us!" Naruto shouted, his eyes ablaze as well.

Seymour turned around and walked down the steps. He smirked at Tidus, and then looked over at the shinobi. "You're kind does not belong here. I know where you come from."

Naruto and Sakura gave each other worried glances, but Kakashi wasn't fazed.

"And where would that be?" The Copy-Nin asked coolly.

Before the leader of the Guados could answer, the chamber doors opened, and Yuna walked out.

"Yuna!" Tidus shouted, upon seeing her.

Seymour turned to face her.

Yuna faltered, looking slightly hurt. "But why...?"

"We saw Jyscal's sphere," Kakashi called out to her.

"You killed him," Auron said.

Seymour was silent. "What of it?" He didn't seem bothered by that particular fact. "Lady Yuna, certainly you knew of these things, did you not?" The summoner gasped, confirming his suspicions. "Well then, why have you come here?"

Yuna put a hand to her chest and looked down. "I came..." She slowly shook her head, and walked to stand before her guardians. Suddenly, her face shot up to look at Seymour in the eye. "I came to stop you!"

Seymour, who still had his back to her, gave a slight nod of his head. "I see. You came to punish me, then."

He turned around to face the group. Walking forward, he extended a long hand out to Yuna. She shook her head and backed away.

Acting hurt, Seymour withdrew his hand. "What a pity." Everyone quickly surrounded Yuna. Seymour chuckled. "Ah, of course. 'Protect the summoner even at the cost of one's life,' The Code of the Guardian." A smile adorned his face. "How admirable." The two guardians, who had been beside him, stepped up. "Well, if you're offering your lives, I will have to take them."

"Maester Seymour," Yuna began, "I trust my guardians with my life. But they are also my friends. I will not stand by and watch them be hurt." Her staff appeared in her hands, "I will fight you, too!"

"All right!" Tidus cheered as he unsheathed his sword.

Wakka was panicking. "Maester Seymour!" he cried. This wasn't suppose to be happening. They were _not_ going to fight a maester. No way!

Seymour closed his eyes and opened them. They were emotionless.

"So be it."

The two guado bodyguards immedietly started glowing, and sent a barrage of fire spells which were immedietly nullified by ice spells casted by Lulu. Unlike Wakka, Lulu knew that whether or not Seymour was a maester, he must be punished for his crime.

"First things first, we take out the bodyguards," Jiraiya said as the shinobi prepared themselves.

"Right, and we got Seymour," Tidus added, determination in his eye. That big blue-haired guado was going down!

"Lulu, do you think you and Yuna could provide us cover?" Kakashi asked.

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do the best I can," the black mage replied as she nullified a blizzard spell with fire.

Red, yellow, blue, and orange orbs suddenly appeared around the shinobi. They looked over to see Yuna complete the rest of her spells.

Seeing the threat, the two guado guards quickly cast protect and shield on their guado leader. A shield of light covered Seymour, protecting him from spells, and then another shield which was a sphere made out of bars covered him, which would protect him from physical attacks. Both shields faded as they set in.

"Shadow Clone jutsu!" Hundreds of Naruto-clones appeared.

"What!" one of the guards shouted, his eyes widened.

"What kind of magic is this?" the other added.

"It is no magic," Seymour said, "No matter, kill them if you must."

Sai whipped out his scroll, and two ink tigers leapt off the surface and headed towards one of the guado guards. Having been in Spira for a while now, they nimbly dodged the thunder and water spells that were thrown their way. The latched themselves onto the guado, who grunted in pain. The ink tigers leapt off just in time to avoid the shadows that were on the ground as Shikamaru caught the guado bodyguards.

"Shadow—Neck Binding Technique!"

Two huge shadow hands crept up from the ground and strangled the two guado, who gave strangled cries as life was choked out from them. The shadows seeped back to the ground and towards Shikamaru who released his jutsu. The bodies fell with a thud.

Seeing his fallen comrades, Seymour looked up, closing his eyes. "Feel my pain. Come, Anima!"

Everyone watched with awe and horror as the great aeon they had seen in Luca was summoned. Anima let out a cry, a cry that showed her pain and suffering.

"What do we do now?" Sakura cried, her eyes full of fear. They all knew the strength and power the aeon held. They saw it first hand at Luca.

"Let me handle this," Jiraiya said as he pulled out a scroll. He bit his thumb and was about to summon the big toad when Tidus stopped him.

"Wait, Jiraiya!"

"Huh? What?"

"There's nothing supporting this temple underneath," Lulu explained, "Summon that big toad of yours and the temple will fall."

Jiraiya turned red, before scratching his the back of his neck sheepishly. "Oh…uh…right."

"You all are fools," Seymour said as he raised his hand, ready to command his aeon. "Let them feel out pain, mother."

The aeon gave another cry as something sparkled in its one eye.

"Stop it, before it unleashes its attack!" Kakashi ordered. The shinobi tried their best to hit the aeon, but no matter how much damage they did, the aeon wasn't fazed.

Yuna felt a power surge before her, and she raised her staff, sparkles of light gathering at the tip. Just as Anima let loose her attack, Yuna swung her staff down, and three big pillars of ice shielded everyone. A translucent woman wearing a cape floated down in the ice. She flipped her hair back, her form becoming more apparent. Flinging her cape away, the ice shattered. The cape floated to Yuna, who gently caught it.

It was Shiva, fayth of Macalania temple. A beautiful blue women with dark blue hair that had gold bands in it stood before them. Puffs of condensation surrounded her body, showing how cold the woman was.

Just in the nick of time, the new aeon received the full blunt of Anima's attack. Yuna felt a surge of rage from her aeon, and realized what was about to happen.

"Everybody, stand back!" Yuna shouted.

With a powerful wind surrounding her, Shiva send a cold gust of wind towards Anima, freezing it to the ground. Reaching on hand up, the other supporting it, a huge orb of power gathered at her hand. Once it stopped growing, Shiva swung it behind her, and towards Anima, releasing the power. The other aeon became incased in blocks of ice, rendering it frozen.

"Woah!" Naruto cried as the other shinobi watched in awe.

With Anima frozen, Shiva stuck out her right hand and snapped, causing the ice to shatter, and ultimately causing the demise of the other aeon.

"I don't believe it, she actually did it!" Kakashi said in awe as Anima disappeared in a burst of pyreflies.

"That power that defeated Anima...it will be mine!" Seymour cried, his eyes filled with insanity.

"Man, how much crazier can you get," Naruto said as he summoned two shadow clones to get a Rasengan ready.

"Shinobi of Konoha," Seymour stated, making all of the ninja gasp, "You should know better than to meddle in affairs that are not your own." Raising his staff, he sent a barrage of thunder spells towards the shinobi, who nimbly dodged them.

"I beg to differ. Once we were placed in Spira, all meddling rights were ours to use," Shikamaru said as he sent his shadow towards Seymour, locking him in place.

"Killing me will not work," the guado said with no emotion, "I do not plan on going down easily."

That got Auron's attention. "And how do you plan on not going down 'easy'?"

"Why, Sir Auron, I would've thought someone like you would already know," Seymour said as he smirked.

"I've had about enough of you," Naruto growled. The Rasengan was done and ready to be thrown. He ran towards Seymour, still in the grasped of the shadows. "RASENGAN!"

He hit Seymour with the orb just as Shikamaru released his jutsu, throwing the maester into the wall with a crash. Yuna gasped and covered her mouth as she saw her ex-fiancé crippled against the wall.

"Yuna...you would pity me now?" Seymour gasped.

The summoner could only watch as the maester fell onto his back, dead. Gathering her strength and wit, she walked over to his fallen body. His eyes were wide open. Taking a deep breath, she gently placed her hands over his eyes and closed them.

"Lord Seymour!"

Everyone turned to see Tromell standing by the entrance. "What happened here?" He walked over to Seymour's body, flanked by two female priestesses.

Wakka clutched his head. "What...what have I done?"

"Wait a minute!" Tidus tried to explain, "It's not our fault at all!"

"Yeah, Seymour struck first!" Naruto added, "He's the bad guy!"

Tromell stood up, an ominous air about him. "You did this?" he choked out.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Jiraiya said in a low tone. Kakashi nodded in agreement.

Auron looked over a distressed and confused Yuna, "Yuna. Send him." She gave a hesitant nod, and lifted her staff, but Tromell stopped her.

"No, stop!" he cried, "Stay away from him, traitors!"

The two female assistants took Seymour's body between them and carried him out of the room. Tromell followed them out as Yuna dropped to her knees.

"Man, what a drag," Shikamaru sighed, putting his hands behind his head.

"Traitors?" she whispered. Sakura walked over to her and knelt down, placing a hand on the summoner's shoulders.

"So, what now?" Yamato asked.

"We're finished," Wakka said gravely.

"Now hold on just a minute!" Tidus said, "Seymour's the bad guy, right? We'll just explain to everyone what happened!"

"I have a feeling they won't see it that way," Kakashi said, putting a finger under his chin.

"But that's what happened! Seymour threw the first punch!" Naruto argued.

"It won't be that easy..." Auron closed the argument, "Let's get out of here."

They all went back to the Cloister of trials. While they were walking, Naruto accidently stepped on a switch, and caused the tunneled to collapse and disappear.

Tidus let out a sound of frustration. "Gimme a break!"

"We don't have time for this," Auron grumbled.

Kakashi and Yamato both looked at Sai. Understanding their request, he pulled out his scrolls and paintbrush, and quickly painted something. With a wave of his hand, the black ink came off the scroll and created a black bridge.

"My lady," Kakashi gestured for Yuna to go first.

"But…the trials…"

"Oh, come on. You've already killed a maester. How much more taboo can ya get?" Shikamaru said dryly, and earned a glare from Sakura.

"Besides, you've already gotten the aeon," Rikku reasoned.

There was no more argument. The group quickly walked across the ink bridge and walked down the stairs to the lobby area of the temple. Tromell and a group of guado guards were with him.

Yuna took a step forward, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "Please..."

"Give us a chance to explain," Auron added.

Tromell waved his hand, "No need. I already know what I'll tell the other maesters."

Auron cocked an eyebrow. "Meaning...?"

"Lord Seymour was the leader of the Guado before becoming a maester."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome. You're not letting us go."

Tromell chuckled. "Let you go?" he said as if he were insulted, "Lord Seymour would never forgive us if we did."

Rikku waved her hands. "Wait, wait!"" Everyone turned to look at her. "Jyscal's sphere! We can show it to them!"

"Hey yeah! That's right!" Naruto agreed, "Now where did we put that thing…?"

"You mean this?" Jyscal said as he held up the blue sphere. He threw it to the ground and it shattered. Everyone gasped.

"The Guado take care of Guado affairs."

Kimahri stepped in front of Yuna protectively. "Away!" he commanded and took out his spear.

"What do we do now?" Yamato asked nervously as they all realized that the Guado were trying to box them in.

"Run!" Auron shouted.

They all ran out of the temple, the Guado guards hot on their heels. They eventually reached Lake Macalania, and turned around to face their pursuers. Two Guado guards appeared at the entrance of the path leading to the temple, fight burning in their eyes.

"Ha, only two of you? This'll be easy!" Naruto gloated.

Suddenly, a large beast appeared out of nowhere and jumped onto the lake, making the ground shake slightly. It looked like a large yeti, a very big yeti with arms like tree trunks. A Wendigo.

"I'd say the playing field is level now," Shikamaru dryly commented.

"There's no way to escape them, we must fight," Auron ordered. He looked at Yuna from the corner of his eyes. "Yuna…"

She bowed her head, sadness filling her eyes. "I understand…what I must do."

Closing his eyes at her resolve, he opened them and charged at the first guado, giving a severe gash on his front. Kakashi quickly incapacitated the other guado. All that was left was the large fiend, who quickly knew it was no match for the party before it. Giving off a loud cry, it quickly ran at the person who was nearest to it, which happened to be Shikamaru, and launched a punch. The lazy genius tried in vain to restrain the fiend with a shadow jutsu, but found that creature was too strong. He went to block the attack, expecting the punch to be that powerful, but not the force. Shikamaru flew straight into Rikku, jostling the small machina that was attached to her shorts. The small machine started making soft beeps.

"Woah! Be careful!" Tidus cried.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Shikamaru grumbled as Rikku studied him on his feet.

Before anyone else could make a move, the fiend lifted its gigantic fists and slammed them down into the icy lake, causing it to crack - and break.

"Oh no!" Sakura cried, "the lake!"

The entire ground collapsed and everybody fells through the cracks. A bright light came from the small machina.

######

Naruto groaned, a dull pain throbbing through his head. His clothes were damp, as if he were lying in a puddle of water. Opening his eyes, he blinked the blurriness away and looked around. Tidus was the nearest to him, standing, and the water went up to his ankles. He watched as the other blonde took in their surroundings. Catching eye contact, the Blitzball player smiled. "I don't claim to know where we are. But I think in the ruins of some ancient city," he offered lamely.

Naruto mutely nodded. Everything was hazy; there were a lot of pyreflies floating around. The Hymn of the Fayth could faintly be heard. Naruto stood up, and went to look for his teammates. He found Sai with his notebook in his hand, his dark eyes roaming the area. Sakura was healing Kakashi, who had gone out of his way to make sure she wasn't harmed as they fell. Jiraiya was sitting on a rock, deep in thought, while Yamato stood next to him. Naruto's brow furrowed. Where were bShikamaru and Neji?

Auron, Lulu, Wakka, and Rikku were all fine. Kimahri seemed to be guarding a small area. Naruto leaned so he could see the area and saw Yuna lying on a large rock.

"Hey, you guys!" Tidus called out. Lulu, Wakka, Rikku, and Auron looked over to him. Tidus rubbed the back of his head, before shaking his head. "Uhh, not you guys. I meant, Naruto and the others."

"What's up?" Sakura asked as all of the shinobi walked over to Tidus.

Tidus pointed to a young woman who was lying a couple feet from them. "Is that girl with you? Or…?"

Naruto scrutinized the unconscious figure. The young woman had blonde hair that looked like it was tied back into four pigtails. But it was the big fan lying beside her that did the trick. "Hey! It's Temari!"

Sakura quickly ran over to the Sand-nin.

"Temari?" Tidus repeated.

"You remember Gaara?" Kakashi asked him.

"The red-headed kid, right? The one who always carried that big gourd around?"

Kakashi nodded. "Temari is his older sister."

Tidus watched curiously as Sakura began to check over the woman, green chakra flowing from her hands.

"Can't say that I see the resemblance," Tidus commented as he had a hand to his chin, he then walked back to where Kimahri and Yuna were.

Kakashi only chuckled as they watched as the Sand-nin woke up.

"What the hell?" Temari groaned as she put a hand to her head, "What just happened?" She noticed the pink-haired medic beside her. "Sakura?"

Sakura gave her a warm smile, "We're gonna have to fill you in later, okay?"

Temari blinked. "Okay."

They all walked over to where the others were crowded. Yuna was awake, and was sitting on the rock, Kimahri flanking her side. "I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father, Lord Jyscal," she explained, "I wanted to convince him to turn himself in to Yevon's judgement."

Lulu raised an eyebrow, "In exchange for marriage?"

The summoner nodded her head. "Yes, if that's what it took."

"So, what did Seymour say?" Jiraiya asked.

Yuna's eyes dimmed, "He didn't say anything. Now...now I don't even think it was worth it." She bowed her head, "I should've told you what I was going to do."

"Enough," the Legendary guardian interrupted, "Dwelling in the past is futile."

Rikku rounded on the older man. "Hey! You don't have to say it like that!"

"You want to waste time listening to her regrets?" Auron replied.

Rikku made a face. "You don't have to say it like that," she said, softer this time.

"I agree," Kakashi said, "We don't have time on what could have been. Our immediate concern should be Yuna's pilgrimage." He looked around to see Jiraiya and Yamato nodding their heads.

Jiraiya looked at Yuna. "Are you willing to go on?"

Yuna looked up into his eyes. "Yes." She hesitated and looked at everyone else. "But then, do you think Yevon will allow it?"

"The fayth are the ones that give power to the summoners," Auron explained, "Not the temples or the teachings. If the temples try to stop us..." He trailed off and gave Wakka a knowing look, "then we will defy Yevon if we must."

"Whoa!" Tidus exclaimed.

"I can't believe you said that!" Rikku added.

The tone in the guardian's words stunned Naruto. Here was a guy who was gung-ho about the pilgrimage and Yevon, besides Wakka, and now he was telling him to go against them? Although Naruto himself was all about doing the right thing—heck, that was basically the whole teamwork thing all over again! His brow furrowed as he thought about Sasuke. While the Uchiha was considered a traitor to the village, it wasn't as if he had any control over it. He wanted revenge on his brother, what right did the village have to stop him. Except…was Sasuke's revenge a worthy cause. Here was Yuna's pilgrimage in an attempt to destroy a creature that threatened the existence of the world, a selfless act. Could Sasuke say the same thing about his pilgrimage? Naruto shook his head. No, Sasuke wouldn't care. Not as long as Itachi lived.

"Count me out," Wakka huffed, "We have to atone, to make up for the sins we have committed. Of course, it's not like I ever liked Maester Seymour, ya? No way I'll ever forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal and for trying to do us all in too, you know?" He shook his head. "But still, the bunch of us going against Yevon? No way!"

"But still, we have transgressed and must face our punishment," Lulu tried to reasons with the stubborn blitzball captain.

Yuna nodded, determination filled her eyes. "We must go to Bevelle," she stated, "We must speak with Maester Mika and explain what has happened. There is no other way, I think."

"I agree," Wakka nodded his head.

Yuna turned the guardian who once protected her father. "Sir Auron...will you come with us?"

Auron chuckled. "I am the troublemaker, after all."

Tidus snorted. "Yeah, that's right! You can always count on Auron to complicate things!"

Rikku punched a fist in the air. "Yeah! Kimahri roars, and Auron runs off, and..."

"I never asked you to follow me," the guardian cut her off

"Hey, but that's what friends are for," Tidus argued, "Right?"

"Yep!" Rikku said with a smile.

Friends, Naruto thought. He, Sakura, and Sasuke were friends. The whole Rookie 9 were friends. Maybe, maybe he could bring Sasuke back with his friendship. Naruto shook his head. No, his hatred for Itachi was too strong. He would need something stronger if he wanted to bring Sasuke back.

Yuna looked over at the shinobi. "Sir Kakashi, will you and your friends…?"

Kakashi looked over at the other shinobi. They each held a smile and nodded their heads. "We've come this far with you, Lady Yuna. I'd say that we're with you permanently," he answered.

"I don't know what's going on. But if Kakashi and Jiraiya are with you, you can count me in," Temari added.

Yuna smiled. "Thank you."

Wakka groaned. "Man...how can you all act like nothing's wrong? Must got nerves of steel or something."

"You're too edgy," Lulu told him, "Listen to the hymn and calm down."

"Is that coming from the temple?" Yamato asked.

"Yes, it is Yevon's gift," Yuna replied, "It soothes the hearts of the faithful."

"Jecht used to sing this song..." Auron began.

Tidus snorted. "Yeah, over and over. But not this good, that's for sure."

"Another trait you share."

Naruto busted out laughing at Auron's comment.

Tidus, a bit offended at the comment, could only reply, "What, you were listening?" He thought back on a memory where he was singing, Auron was in the background unnoticed by the blonde. Tidus stuck a hand out to the side. "Eesh, can't I get a little privacy?"

"Your singing reminded me of Spira," Auron ignored him and continued.

"Oh, right. You're not originally from Zanarkand, are you?" Tidus thought for a moment. "You homesick?"

"Maybe."

They were all silent.

"Say, how'd you get to Zanarkand anyway?" Naruto asked him.

"Lemme guess, Sin?" Tidus asked.

The Legendary guardian was silent.

"Uh-huh, I thought so," Tidus crossed his arms.

Silence filled the air. An eerie feeling crept into the atmosphere.

Sai, who had had his eyes closed, opened them. "The singing has stopped," he commented.

A low rumble could be felt within the ground, and started to shake.

"There's something here!" Wakka cried.

"The ground!" Auron shouted as they all looked down.

A large shadowy figure was seen below them. It was Sin sitting motionless.

"Sin!?" Yuna gasped.

"The toxin! Watch out!" Lulu shouted.

Naruto felt his eyes grow heavy. A strong drowsiness overcame his body. He looked around to see everyone else struggling to stay awake. "What's….happening?" Naruto said groggily.

Finally, he closed his eyes, letting sleep overtake him.

######

Naruto felt a slight breeze caress his face, cooling his body that had begun to overheat. Slowly, Naruto opened his eyes to meet the harsh rays of the sun. Blinking he shaded his eye to look around. He was on a large rock in a small oasis in the middle of a desert.

"Oh man! This is definitely the worst mission ever," Naruto huffed as he flopped back down on the rock. Closing his eyes for a moment, he gathered the motivation to stand up. He looked into the oasis to see Tidus floating on the surface. Naruto's eyes widened. "Tidus!"

He scrambled down and pulled the other blonde out. Placing his ear close to his chest, he felt and heard the young man breathing. Letting out a sigh of relief, Naruto plopped himself down. Hearing Tidus mumble something, Naruto strained his ears.

"Dad…be good…for a while…okay?"

Naruto gave him a confused look. "What?"

"Sin...my old man. My old man is Sin."

Naruto's eyes widened as he scrambled back. "Woah, woah, woah! Wait a second! Did you just say that you dad is Sin?"

Tidus opened his eyes. "That's right. When we were under the temple, I felt his presence."

Naruto gathered himself, thinking. While he himself didn't know his father, if he had one, he couldn't imagine him being Sin. "So…what are you going to do?"

Tidus stood up. "I'm going to find a way to help him. I can't just sit and cry about things now."

Naruto stood up as well. "All right. And how are you gonna do that?"

"We go find Yuna first."

Naruto looked over at the vast hills of sand. "Uh-huh. And she didn't bother leaving a trail for us." Tidus made a noise of discontent "But I'm with ya one hundred percent! Believe it!"

It wasn't long until Auron and Lulu found the pair.

"The others?" Tidus asked hopefully.

"Haven't found them yet," Lulu explained, "We're supposed to stay in one place if we get split up."

"What made you guys leave YOUR place?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

"Sir Auron was convinced that you couldn't handle the desert fiends," Lulu chuckled as Tidus glared at Auron's back.

"Well, wait here if you want," Tidus gestured to Auron, "He's not."

With two more people added in the group, they soon encounter Wakka and Sai, hiding underneath a destroyed machina. Sai was sketching in his notebook.

"Wakka!" Tidus shouted.

"Sai!" Naruto grinned.

"Dickless," Sai greeted back, earning a growl from the latter.

Wakka looked at the group. "Where's Yuna?" Seeing no one answer, he punched the ground. "Dammit! First I lose Yuna, then I'm ambused by machina!" He stood up. "Great day I'm having," he said and kicked a piece of metal, hurting his toe in the process.

They continue through the desert, eventually meeting up with Kimahri, Temari, and Jiraiya. Kimahri was attempting to climb up a sand dune, but finding it impossible, slides back down again.

"I keep telling him it's pointless," Temari sighed as she leaned against her giant fan.

"Yuna...gone," the Ronso said.

"It's not your fault, Kimahri!" Tidus reassured him.

With the Ronso in the group, they trudged onwards. They came upon Yamato, Kakashi, and Sakura.

"Why do I always see you two together? Are you an item or something?" Tidus asked Kakashi and Sakura. "That would make YOU the third wheel, right? Sucks for you," he said to Yamato.

"EHHHHH? Kakashi-sensei and Sakura?" Naruto's eyes widened at the two.

Sakura blushed. "Don't be stupid. He's just looking out for me Naruto, that's all."

Jiraiya elbowed Kakashi. "A teacher falling for his student, eh? Ooh, that'd be a great series to write about."

"So long as it doesn't involve a certain student of mine, I'm all for it," Kakashi gave the San-nin a warning glance.

Jiraiya laughed with glee. "Oh you're so protective of her too! Could that mean that you actually feel more for her than just—" Sakura's punch left him hanging.

"Whew, hope you guys can take the heat," Tidus said as he wiped off the sweat that had collected on his forehead.

"Actually, this is much nicer than where I'm from. This desert's got nothing on Suna," Temari commented as a breeze came through."

"You're kidding right?" Wakka asked as his own forehead glistened with sweat.

Naruto saw a figure in the distance. "Hey, is that Rikku? I think it is," he cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled. "HEYYYY! RIKKU!"

Rikku turned around to see the group minus Yuna. "Oh! Hey, guys!" She eyed the group. "Where's Yunie?"

"Gone," Tidus replied.

"Gone... Some guardian I am," Lulu sighed and shook her head.

Rikku cocked her head. She was hesitant. "Umm...there's something I wanna tell you, but promise not to say anything." She looked at Wakka, "No glaring either!"  
>The man just grunted. "I know where we are," Rikku continued, "We're on Bikanel Island. There's a place us Al Bhed call Home near here. Yunie's there, I'm sure of it! Other Al Bhed must've come and rescued her!"<p>

"Rescued?" Wakka snorted, "You mean kidnapped!"

Tidus poked the other man in the shoulder. "What does it matter as long as she's safe?"

"That's right!" Rikku agreed, "Anyway, I will take you there if you promise...that you won't tell anyone about it. Especially not Yevonites, okay? You know they don't like us Al Bhed. Who knows what they'll do if they knew?"

Wakka crossed his arms, "Gimme a break. What are you accusing Yevon of this time?"

"Yevon did something really bad to us before," Rikku said in a quiet voice.

"Well, you Al Bhed must've deserved it."

"Wakka!" Naruto growled, "Cool it!"

Tidus sighed in frustration. "Can't you guys... talk about this later?"

Rikku shook her head. "Just promise you won't tell anyone about this island. Promise?" She looked at Wakka who was silent.

"Wakka, come on!" Tidus glared at the man. Everyone else looked at him as well. It wasn't until Sakura began cracking her knuckles that the man caved.

"All right, I promise! Lead the way."

Rikku smiled. "You got it!"

It seemed like they were walking forever.

"Hey kid! You sure you know where this place is?" Temari called out. While she could deal with the heat, it wasn't like she was immune to it.

Rikku climbed up a large sand dune. "It's right over here!" her voice was heard. Just as the group was beginning to climb the dune, they heard her scream.

"Rikku!" Tidus shouted as they all ran.

When they got to the top, everyone's eyes widened as they saw a big dome-like building go up in flames. Smoke and fire consumed it.

Home was being decimated and destroyed.

**A/N:** Omigosh, that took wayyyy too long. And I'm REALLY sorry about any grammar/spelling errors, but I wanted to get something up for you guys! But seriously, Shakespeare is kicking my butt right now and I haven't had time to write. But like I said, I'm determined to finish this! And my other stories as well! It's just…taking time. Until then!


	14. Truth Revealed, Weddings, & New Resolves

A/N – I do not own Naruto or Final Fantasy X.

Sakura gasped. "Yuna's down there?" She and Naruto looked shocked as they watched the dark smoke rise up. Multiple explosions were heard emanating from the location.

"Of all the places..." Jiraiya said dryly.

Naruto's eyes hardened. "Let's go!"

They all ran towards the exploding site. Upon being closer, the group realized just what was happening. Parts of Home was on fire, others were smoking, and fiends were everywhere. Al Bhed soldiers were fighting and killing the fiends, trying to defend their Home and what lied within. They came upon one Al Bhed soldier.

"Where's Yuna?" Wakka demanded.

The Al Bhed soldier fell over and held his stomach.

Rikku's eyes widened as she recognized the fallen soldier. "Keyakku!" she cried as she ran over to his side, "Who? Who's attacking us?" She lowered her head. "Fru tet drec du oui?" (Who did this to you?)

They all strained to hear a hoarse voice.

"**Yevon**...**Guado**..."

A soft exhale was heard and the air stilled. Rikku shook the body, frantically calling out her friend's name. "Keyakku? Keyakku!" 

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked as his eye narrowed.

"A war?" Lulu suggested, her voice questioning, "Between Yevon and the Al Bhed?"

A rough, burly voice held their attention.

"Dryd ec fnuhk! **Guado** ku vun dra **summoner**." (That is wrong! Guado go for the summoner.)

Rikku, recognizing the voice, looked over her shoulder, "Vydran..." (Father…)

A bald man approached her and kneeled beside the fallen Al Bhed soldier. Pressing his fingers to his neck, he checked for his pulse. At her father's grave face, Rikku looked like she was about to cry.

The man gently closed the Al Bhed's eyes, and looked up at the group. "You Rikku's friends?" A different tone was heard in his voice, "Well, just don't stand there, come on! Let's go kick those Guado out of our Home!"

Everyone but Tidus, Rikku, Naruto, and Sakura followed the bald man.

"Who is that?" Naruto asked Rikku.

"Cid," she answered softly, "Leader of the Al Bhed...he's my dad."

Sakura put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Let's go."

Rikku shook her head, as if trying to clear her thoughts. "Yeah. We have to save Yunie." She forced a smile on her face. 

"Not only Yuna," Tidus said, "Right?"

Rikku looked into his eyes and saw the understanding in her friends' eyes. "Right!"

After fumbling around amidst the fire and smoke, along a couple encounters with some fiends, they came about a different room.

"Yuna! Where are you?" Wakka called out, "What in Yevon's name are those Guado thinking?"

"Revenge," Jiraiya said, "Since they know that Rikku was an Al Bhed, they want revenge for what we did to Maester Seymour."

"It doesn't help that the Al Bhed were kidnapping summoners. The Guado probably think that their actions are heroic," Kakashi added.

Temari snorted. "Kill the Al Bhed, and save the summoners and the teachings?"

Rikku hugged her hands to her chest. "This is terrible!" 

They heard Cid's voice in the air. "Drec pedac! **Rikku**! Oui nayt sa? Oui ku ihtan, duu! E ys majamehk **Home**! Yht dra **fiend** fedr ed!" (This bites! Rikku! You read me? You go under, too! I am leveling Home! And the fiend with it!")

Rikku eye's widened and she looked like she was about to cry again. "Oh, no!"

Wakka turned to look at her. "What'd he say!?" He spoke with urgency, but the malice and hatred was gone from his voice.

"We have to get underground!"

"Wait a minute! Where's Yuna?" Naruto asked her.

Rikku looked in a certain direction. "The Summoner's Sanctum!" She started running. "This way!"

She led them through a couple doors and tunnels before arriving on some stairs. "Over here!" She told them, and led them through another door.

Rikku shook her head sadly when they entered the next room. The walls were on fire, everything was in chaos and ruin. Sakura gasped.

"What the hell," Temari said as her eyes scanned the room, "There's nothing left."

"This place done for," Wakka agreed.

Rikku nodded her head. "You're right," she said in a soft voice, "You're right, Wakka." She looked down at the ground, tears threatening to escape her eyes. "We Al Bhed, we... we weren't always like this. Sin destroyed the island where we all used to live."

Sakura clapped a hand to her mouth as her own eyes glistened with tears. Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Yamato could only listen with solemn eyes.

Rikku tilted her head to look up at the ceiling and closed her eyes. "After that, we were scattered to every corner of Spira. But then, my dad brought the Al Bhed together again. If we put our minds to it and worked together, then we could make a new home." She opened her eyes. "Everyone worked hard, we had our Home back again..." Lowering her head again, she gave a cringe of pain, the ache in her chest hard and heavy. "But now...why did things have to turn out this way?"

Everyone's face was solemn as they heard the tale from the Al Bhed princess, and Naruto watched the emotions that were running through Wakka.

Wakka reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Rikku..." She launched herself into his chest, no longer able to hold back her tears. Wakka's eyes burned with anger. "Damn those Guado! What are they thinking?"

They all jerked as another explosion rippled throughout Home.

"Rikku, what is the Summoners' Sanctum?" Yamato asked her.

Pulling herself together, Rikku wiped her eyes. "The Summoners' Sanctum is where we keep the summoners. We keep them safe there."

"And why do I have a funny feeling that there's more to the story than meets the eye?," Kakashi murmured.

"You kidnapped them," Wakka stated. Again, there was no malice or hatred. Just a simple fact.

Rikku nodded. "I know it's against the teachings and all that..."

Wakka cut her off. "I get why you did it, but..."

Tidus crossed his arms. "Well, I sure don't get it, Wakka. They might get hurt on their pilgrimage so you kidnap them? I mean, if the summoners don't do their job, then who will beat Sin? You want to protect them, I know. But guardians are there for that." 

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Right. If guardians do their job well, summoners will be safe!" he added. "Right?"

Silence filled the air. Sakura, Sai, and Temari all looked at each other with questioning looks. Yamato and Kakashi looked at Jiraiya, who was deep in thought. There was a frown on the sanin's face.

"Right?" Tidus echoed.

Silence.

Kimahri was the first to speak. "It's quiet. Kimahri goes now."

An eerily silence filled the air as the Ronso turned and walked down the steps to the Summoners' Sanctum. Next were Wakka and Lulu, then Auron. Not a single word was uttered. Jiraiya looked at Kakashi and Yamato, conflicted for a moment, before deciding to follow the others inside the room. The two jounins were quick to follow.

"What…just happened?" Naruto asked as he, Sakura, Temari, and Sai followed Kakashi and Yamato into the sanctum.

Rikku gave one last look at Tidus, before entering the sanctum. "Yuna, please be here!" 

Tidus entered last.

Everyone was silent upon entering the room. Pyreflies heavily clouded the room, and bodies were everywhere. Rikku gasped before falling to her knees. Everyone was stunned. Even Sai didn't have a comment.

"Kami, how far did the Guado need to prove their point?" Yamato asked.

"Yuna!" Kimahri called out.

But his response was silence.

"She's not here," a familiar voice broke out. They all turned to see Dona and Issaru, Maroda, and Pacce standing there. "Hello again. Wait there until we have performed the sending."

"They died...protecting us," Issaru said with confusion and shock, "It's not much, but the least we can do is give them a proper sending."

Pacce ran up to Tidus and Naruto. "Hey, what's "sacrificed"?"

"What?" Naruto frowned.

"The Al Bhed said summoners were being sacrificed," Pacce explained, "That summoners shouldn't have to do a pilgrimage..."

"A sacrifice, is when someone gives up something for the benefit of someone or something else," Sakura explained gently, "In some cases, a person might sacrifice their life to protect their loved ones."

"Oh, like how Maroda and I would sacrifice our lives to protect Issaru?" Pacce asked.

Sakura gave the young boy a sad.

The young guardian thought for a moment before frowning. "But then…that means Issaru would sacrifice himself for all the people of Spira…"

Tidus clenched his fists. "Why couldn't they trust guardians to protect summoners? No one…the Al Bhed…the Maesters…have no right stopping their pilgrimage!""

Naruto put a comforting hand on Tidus's shoulder, feeling the same way. Why did everyone think that the summoner's were sacrificing themselves? With their guardians, the summoners would be okay! Why couldn't everyone see that?

"You know, being a summoner is no different than being a ninja," Jiraiya began, "We sacrifice our lives for our village, willing go into suicidal mission, just to make sure that our village and its civilians are safe."

"When we go on those missions, our goal is to complete that mission. Nothing else matters because it is for the sake of the village," Yamato added.

Kakashi looked at the older guardians. "But there's something that I don't understand, and I'm feeling that that's what Tidus and Naruto are thinking as well. Summoners go on their pilgrimage to obtain the Final Aeon and defeat Sin, and Guardians protect the summoner on their pilgrimage." His dark eye locked onto Auron's. "What exactly are the summoner's sacrificing? Their chance for a "normal life?" Happiness? Because if that's the case, then those reasons are selfish."

Rikku put her foot down. "The pilgrimages have to stop!" Her outburst startled everyone, except for Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri, and Auron.

"If they don't, and they get to Zanarkand...they might defeat Sin," she said sadly, "Yunie could...but then she..." She struggled to say her words.

"Yunie will die, you know!?"

Sakura gasped as Temari shook her head. "That's messed up," the sand kounoichi commented.

Yamato put a hand to his head as Kakashi lifted his head and sighed. Naruto and Tidus just stood looking dumbfounded and speechless.

"You know, don't you?" Rikku said to the two blonde boys, "Summoners journey to get the Final Aeon. Yuna told you, didn't she?" She gave them a sad look. "With the Final Aeon, she can beat Sin...but then...if she calls it, then the Final Aeon's gonna kill her. Even if she defeats Sin, it will kill Yunie too, you know?" She fell to her knees in anguish.

Tidus clenched his fists. "Was I…the only one…who didn't know?" He stormed up to Rikku and shook her by her shoulders. "Tell me why! Why were hiding it? Why didn't I know?"

Wakka crossed his arms, looking conflicted. "We weren't hiding it..."

Lulu shook her head. "It was just...too hard to say."

Auron and Kimahri were silent and motionless.

Tidus let out a cry. He faced the black mage. "Lulu! How could you? How could you! Isn't she like a sister to you? I thought you were family!" He rounded on the blitzball captain next. "Why don't you do something, Wakka?"

"Don't you think we tried to stop her?" The black mage shot back. "She follows..." her eyes softened, "Her heart."

"Yuna, she knew what she was doing when she chose to become a summoner," Wakka said with all seriousness, "To face Sin, ya? Yuna knew!"

"But, Wakka, that's just totally wrong!" Rikku argued back, "Summoners shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves...just so the rest of Spira can be happy, right?"

The shinobi were speechless. Kakashi put a comforting arm around Sakura as she started to sob quietly. Sai looked at Yamato, who was pinching the bridge of his nose. Temari only cast her eyes to the ground.

Fiends started forming within the room, but no one moved.

"But that is our choice..." Issaru broke the silence with his calm voice.

"We all live in fear of Sin," Dona added, "You know that."

"A world without Sin...that is the dream of all Yevon's children," Issaru said, "And we will use that power, even if it means our lives!"

Both summoners summoned the aeons Ifrit and Valefor, and the fiends were no more but another cloud of pyreflies.

Tidus led out a cry of anguish as he ran up to Valefor and began punching it in the stomach. "And I've been telling Yuna, "Let's go to Zanaraknd together!" I told her all the things...we could...we could..." he shook his head, "But Yuna, she'd...just smile." He bowed his head and started to sob.

Valefor could only let out a soft croon, as if empathizing for the boy, and gently closed her wings around him, offering him comfort.

Naruto was numb. It was all too similar. Shinobi sacrifice their live for the people, much like the summoners sacrifice their live for Spira. But wait. His eyes widened in revelation. To sacrifice something for the good is highly respected, but to sacrifice someone from the very start, that was not something to be proud of. Shinobi who go on those missions know that they might not return alive—but they can with the strength, willpower, and hope. Summoners don't have that choice. They don't make a sacrifice…they ARE the sacrifice. All of those statues in the temples, all of those brave men and women who struck on the path of the summoners, only to die in the end, never able to celebrate their victory and accomplishment. And what accomplishment? A few measly years?

Naruto's eyes hardened. No, not this time. Not if he can help it. He walked up to Tidus. "We won't let her die, Tidus. You can count on that. We'll find her. And when we do, we'll find another way."

"Naruto…" Sakura watched her teammate in awe. The last time she saw that look was when he promised her to bring Sasuke back.

"Those who break the rules are scum, but those you abandon their friends…are worse than scum," Naruto began, "We ninja sacrifice our lives for our village, but at least we have a chance to make it out alive, to celebrate with the people who fought with us. But to plan who will be sacrificed from the start…is just plain wrong." He looked down at Isaaru and Dona. "You summoners say that it is your choice, that you are willing to sacrifice yourselves for Spira. From what I've seen, summoners ARE the sacrifice." He ignored the looks of awe from the two summoners. "We'll find Yuna. And once we find her, we'll a find a way to defeat Sin, without a sacrifice."

"But what if there is no other way?" Rikku asked in a quiet voice.

Naruto turned to look at her. "Then we'll just have to make one ourselves. I'll fight tooth and nail, till my very last breath, until we find another way."

Everyone watched Naruto with newfound respect.

"The kid's got gots," Auron grunted.

"He may be an idiot, but he's a smart idiot if I've ever seen one," Temari told him, "He has the ability to change those around him. And I've never seen somebody with more determination than him."

"If Naruto says that he'll find Yuna, he will," Kakashi agreed.

"His determination and enthusiasm is a nice change of pace," Lulu admitted.

They all ran out of the room and up the stairs. They found themselves in the bridge of a large vehicle. Cid was talking to a young man that Tidus and Naruto had encountered at the beginning of their journey.

"Where's Yuna?" Tidus demanded.

"Ajanouha uh puynt? "Ajanouha ymeja!" (Everyone on board? Everyone alive!) was his response.

Tidus walked up to Cid and pulled him around. "I said, where is she?" He was met with silence. "Answer me! Answer me, damn you!"

"What'll you do when you find her, eh?" Cid challenged him.

Tidus let his head down in defeat. "I didn't know anything about what a summoner is supposed to do. And I told her all those things without even knowing," he looked up at Cid, "I've got to tell her. I've got to tell her I'm sorry!"

Cid grunted. "That's it? You're gonna tell her you're sorry? And then you just drag her to Zanarkand and make her fight Sin, huh? You're all the same-let the summoner die so we can live in peace!" He then grabbed Tidus and flipped him onto the floor.

"Now just a minute!" Naruto began, but Kakashi held him back.

"No!" Tidus growled, "I'm not gonna let Yuna die!" 

"Hah! Words!" Cid spat, "Show me action!"

Tidus got onto his feet. "I'm telling you, she won't die!" Determination resonated through the air.

Cid stilled for a minute. "Boy, don't forget those words, 'cause if you do..." He turned to look at Tidus. "I'm gonna make you regret it."

Tidus nodded. "I won't."

"_We_ won't," Naruto corrected as he walked up to Tidus and put a hand on his shoulder.

"So you know where she is?" Yamato asked.

"Course not. That's why we're gonna look, using this airship!"

Wakka stumbled. "A-Airship?"

The ground rumbled as Brother sat in the pilot's seat. "Vydran! Nayto du ku!" (Father! Ready to go!) he called out.

"Oaaryy! Y vmekrd **1000 years** ujantia!" (Yeehaa! A flight 1000 years overdue!)

The ceiling opened, and sand immedietly came pouring in along with the rays of the sun. An engine rumbled within the ship as wheels began turning. The ship slowly hovered and began its descent into the air. Once it was above ground, it slowly turned to face its direction, before giving a jerk for take off.

Inside the ship, the Al Bhed began to sing the Hymn of the Fayth.

"What's goin' on?" Wakka asked.

Rikku gave him a sad look. "We're...we're going to blow up our Home."

"How?" Lulu asked.

Cid grinned. "With one of the forbidden machina!" He turned to face an Al Bhed to the left of Brother. "Nayto? Vena!" (Ready? Fire!)

One side of the Airship opened up, revealing a row of missiles. The missiles were launched and locked onto their target: Home. They hit the target spot on, creating a small series of explosions before creating a shockwave. The explosion shockwave overpassed the ship making it falter for a moment, but the airship managed to speed up and clear the blast.

"**Gah-hah-hah-hah**! Nadinh du cyht!" (Gah-hah-hah-hah! Return to sand!) Cid let out a laugh.

Rikku heard Brother crying and watched as their father walked towards him. He put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Hu haat vun daync! Fryd ec kuut ypuid **machina**, ec drao lyh pa piemd yhaf, oui caa?" (No need for tears! What is good about machina, is they can be built anew, you see?)

Rikku smiled at her father's words, but it was short lived. Wakka walked up to her, the intent to make her feel better. "Hey, look. Don't get so down," he told her, "Boom! Like happy festival fireworks, ya?" He let out a light laugh.

Temari let out a sigh and shook her head. "Gotta give him points for trying."

Rikku's eyes filled with anger as she snapped at him. "You can cram your happy festival, you big meanie!" 

"Did you find out anything about Yuna?" Tidus asked Cid.

"I'm lookin' into it, okay?" Cid snapped. When he heard Tidus sigh, he quickly amended his harshness. "Don't worry, I'm using a sphere oscillo-finder. If she's out there, we'll get her."

"A sphere oscillo-finder?" Sai asked with light humor.

Cid turned to look at the ROOT member. "It's an ancient machina. I don't know how it works either, so don't ask me, okay?"

"And you still use it?" Sakura asked deadpanned.

Cid let out a hearty laugh. "I don't even rightly know how this rig flies, either! All because of the Yevon taboo on machina, we're running around in the dark here! Ain't it a rush, kiddos?"

"I think I'm a little old for rushes…" Jiraiya sighed.

Tidus, Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Temari all went to explore the ship while the older jounin and sanin decided to stay put. All was well until the young ninjas found the deck and decided to use their ninja abilities to say hello to everyone from outside the windows without falling.

"The first time Naruto learned out to climb a tree with chakra, he walked up the Hokage's monument and swung from the Third's nose screaming "Hey look at me! I'm a booger!" Kakashi sighed as she shook his head at Naruto.

"You sure they're okay out there? I mean, they could fall, ya?" Wakka asked.

"Even if they did fall, they'd land on the water safely," Jiraiya shrugged, "But knowing Naruto, he'd probably find a way _in_ the water."

Auron walked up to Cid, an important conversation matter on his mind. "After rescuing Yuna, then what? You want to keep her safe, correct?" He paused. "Would you seek to stop her pilgrimage?"

"Of course!" Cid said angrily, "If she continues this fool pilgrimage, she will die! Sure as if you killed her yourself." He turned his nose up at Auron. "No hare-brained law or teaching can send my little niece to her death! When I save her, I'll make her give up being a summoner quicker than a desert melts ice!"

"Even against her will?" Jiraiya asked. Kakashi and Yamato looked at the Al Bhed leader with interest.

"Better than a dog's death!" he stated without hesitation, "And I'll take down anyone who don't agree!" He gave a challenging look to Auron, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Yamato. The shinobi looked at Auron for orders.

"You are the captain," Auron said, before leaving.

"Good! Then it's settled!"

The others returned to the bridge.

"Vydran! Fa vuiht **Yuna**!" (Father! We found Yuna!) Brother shouted.

Cid was quick to his son's side. "Frana!?" (Where!?)

They all crowded around the scanners.

Yuna was dressed in a strapless white gown, white feathers attached to the back portion of her dress that curved around her arms. Her hair was formed into a bun on the top of her head, with a veil surrounding her. On a bridge parallel to her, Seymour was dressed in what assumed to be the groom's clothes. Probably embellished to fit the title of the maester. Up a long staircase was Maester Mika.

"Where was that!?" Naruto said.

"The **Palace of St. Bevelle**. Heart of Yevon," Lulu answered.

"Gramps, let's move!" Tidus urged.

"Easy, kiddo," Cid calmed him, "Bevelle's defenses are top-notch."

"What's the matter, gramps? You scared?" Tidus taunted, "Yuna's there, so we go and get her! And that's all!"

Cid laughed. "You got guts. Cad luinca du **Bevelle**! Vimm cbaat yrayt!" (Set course to Bevelle! Full speed ahead!)

Brother pumped his fist in the air. "Nukan!" (Roger!)

The airship sped up, causing everyone a struggle to keep balance.

"It'll take a while to get to Bevelle," Cid explained, "All we can do is sit tight and let the machina do its job."

"What's Seymour doing alive?" Rikku asked, remembering what she saw, "Didn't we take care of him in Macalania?"

"He is dead. As dead as Jyscal was," Auron explained, "His attachment to this world kept him from the next."

"Whoa, scary!" the Al Bhed princess said as she rubbed her arms.

"Yuna must be trying to send him," Kakashi said.

"Wonder if that will work," Yamato murmured.

Jiraiya shrugged. "Perhaps he won't expect it. After all, he's probably thinking that she's there for marriage." A grin settled over his face. "Have to say that he's one lucky guado. Who wouldn't want to marry a woman with her looks and beauty?"

"Hey, hey!" Wakka narrowed his eyes at the Sanin.

"I think she's a little out of your league," Sakura said with her eyes closed.

"Yeah, by a large margin pervy-sage…" Naruto added.

"Yuna was captured by the Guado back at Sanubia sands. They got her back at Home," Cid explained.

"I'm glad Yuna's okay and all, but what's with those fancy clothes?" Wakka said.

Temari gave him a dry look. "It's called a wedding dress."

"What!?"

Suddenly, the airship rocked back and forth causing everyone to hang onto something. Shouts and cries were heard as well as other strange sounds. Rin, the owner of the travel agency on the Mi'ihen Highroad walked into the bridge.

"We're being attacked from within," he explained, "Some of the Guado that attacked Home must have snuck on board."

"You're awfully calm about it!" Cid stated.

"I am calm about most things."

Cid crossed his arms. "Fiends! There's nothin' to do but-"

"But destroy the ship and all go down together!" Rikku finished for him, imitating his voice.

"Huh?" Cid's eyes were confused, and insulted.

Rikku sighed and shook her head. "You gotta learn a little restraint, Pops. If you crash the ship, we can't go rescue Yunie! Leave the fiends to us professionals!"

Tidus pumped his fists. "Yeah! Let's go!"

As the guardian group got ready to fight, they were meet with the bored stares and looks of the shinobi.

"What?" Rikku asked.

"While you guys were exchanging impressions of each other, we thought we'd lend a hand," Kakashi said with a smile.

"The ship is safe now," Sai reiterated.

Cid cleared his throat. "Alrighty, all you folks have to do is go to the deck and wait for my signal. Once we launch our harpoons, y'all are gonna slide down, got that?"

"Roger that," Naruto said.

They all headed towards the deck, passing windows on their way up. Naruto went to look outside, and saw a huge dragon-like creature is flying outside. "WHOAAAH!" Naruto latched onto to Sakura's arm in shock and fear.

"Naruto!" She turned to where he was looking and froze.

It's thin, sleek bbody was red with a mane of yellow hair trailing from its head to its tail. Lavender tinted, translucent wings adorned its back, and keeping it in the air. Spikes, striped black and white, trailed from the bridge of its nose to the beginning of where the wings spurted. Eyes glowing white, and sharp rows of teeth made this guardian beast look like a fearsome monster.

"Huh, now there's a rare sight," Auron said. 

"That's huge!" Naruto wailed as Sakura shook him off.

"What is that?" Yamato asked with great interest.

"The guardian wyrm, Evrae," Lulu explained, "The great sacred beast-protector of Bevelle."

Auron chuckled. "The red carpet has teeth."

"Wait, that means we're close to Bevelle!" Tidus stated.

Cid's voice suddenly burst through the intercom. "Rikku, you read me? We're going to fight that thing! Get on deck and show him what you got! Go!"

Rikku shook her head and sighed. "There he goes again."

"The ferryman asks a high price," Kakashi mused.

They all go up to the deck, and saw the monster—that was much larger in person—waiting for them. The top of the airship opened up, and revealed lots of holes; missiles ready to fire

"We gotta keep our distance, boy, but we can't let her get too far away," Cid explained over the intercom, "You all have to tell me when to move! But tell me quick, eh? This rig ain't so nimble, you hear?"

"Roger! I'll give the commands!" Tidus yelled back.

"Not alone, you won't!" Rikku added.

And so, the battle against Evrae began. 

()()()()()()

Seymour walked up and along the aisle, his bride-to-be on a bridge parallel to him. A legion of soldiers were standing guard, ready to defend. Yuna continued walking, her knee-high white boots clicking against the ground, and her white-gloved hands clutching her bouquet. As the couple came together before a staircase, the two priests beside her do the prayer gesture, and stepped back. With a cue from Seymour, Yuna walked up the stairs beside him.

Maester Kinoc, head of the guard, was standing watch. He looked up at the sky, and noticed the enormous cloud of pyreflies that were floating around. With a frown, he motioned with his hand, and several guards stepped forward and readied their rifled. Tension filled the air.

An airship burst through the clouds and pyreflies in rapid descent.

Kinoc raised his hand with a yell, "Fire!"

The guards fired relentlessly at the airship, emitting black smoke from its engine.

Seymour, realizing what was happening, grabbed Yuna's hand. "Come," he said to her as he dragged her up the rest of the stairs, Mika hurrying them with a motion of his hands. Seymour smirked as they reached the top, while Yuna gasped, trying to catch her breath. The three stared at the airship as it came deadly close to them, before flying away, Yuna's veil lifted and lost to its wind.

Two harpoons ejected from the airship and smashed into the ground a ways away from Seymour and Yuna. The guards and Bevelle's machina begin firing on the metal ropes that held the ship to the ground, hoping to sever the connection. Six figures were scene sliding down the metal ropes, while seven blurred figures streaked and jumped along the ropes.

The blurred streaks rushed past the few guards that were aiming their firearms at the people behind them. The guards dropped soundlessly to the ground.

Tidus, Rikku, Wakka, Auron, and Kimahri—who was holding Lulu—landed on the ground.

"Yuna!" Tidus called out.

The group ran towards the couple, the shinobi incapacitating any guard that got in their way. As they stood a few feet from the couple, Kinoc shouted at them.

"Stop! This has gone far enough!"

They did, and the shinobi saw that they, as well as the guardian group, were surrounded by firearms.

"I'd say that we're in a bit of a pickle," Kakashi observed.

"What do we do now?" Naruto hissed. He saw Kakashi nod towards Yuna, who had pulled out her staff from behind her back.

Seymour, seeing the staff, only smiled at Yuna. "You would play at marriage just for a chance to send me? Your resolve is admirable." His eyes took on a more predatory glint. "All the more fitting to be my lovely wife."

Yuna started the sending, a few pyreflies coming out of Seymour, who only looked at them with mild interest.

"Stop!" Mika cried. "Do you not value your friends' lives? Your actions determine their fate. Protect them...or throw them away. The choice is yours."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Yuna hesitated for a moment, before letting her staff slip through her fingers. It dropped down the stairs.

"You are wise," Seymour whispered to her as she looked away in shame.

The wedding was on. Seymour took a step closer to Yuna, and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. Rikku whined and looked at Lulu, who only looked away with a frustrated sigh.

"Jerk, he's purposely prolonging the ceremony to rub it in our face," Temari muttered underneath her breath.

The guado lifted his right hand to brush a lock of her hair away from her eyes. Wakka gasped. Mika gave a nod of his head, and Seymour leaned his face towards Yuna. Tidus took a step forward with a grunt, the click of a firearm rang into the air.

The bells rang out as the newly weds kissed, and a few claps were heard. Yuna's hands balled up into a fist, clenching her hands so hard that they shook from the tension. Tidus's eyes went from sad, to angry.

Seymour pulled away from Yuna, and gently leaned her against his front. "Kill them."

Yuna's eyes snapped out of her daze as she gasped.

"Well that's rude. We weren't even invited to the reception," Sakura said in mock disappointment.

Kinoc's gun was aimed at Auron. "I am sorry, but it is for Yevon."

Auron smirked. "Aren't those weapons forbidden by Yevon?"

"There are exceptions," Kinoc said as the firearm clicked.

"No!" Yuna cried, "Throw down your weapons! Let them go, or else..."

Yuna had managed to tear herself from Seymour's embrace, and was now several steps from falling backwards over the edge and plummeting to her death. Seymour lowers his hand; the guards' rifles go down.

"Leave now!" Yuna begged, "Please!"

"You're coming with us!" Tidus shouted.

"Don't worry! Go!" she urged her guardians and friends.

"This is foolish. If you fall, you'll die," Seymour stated.

Yuna only glared at her "husband," and wiped her lips with her arms in disgust. Seymour almost looked hurt at the gesture as he looked down at the ground, and back up to her face.

Yuna's smiled. "Don't worry. I can fly." She took a deep breath. "Believe." Sticking her arms out, she slowly fell back and off the edge.

"Yuna!" Tidus and Naruto cried.

It was silent, and no one knew what to do. Yuna could be dead for all they know. But suddenly, they see four balls of light shoot to the sky as a familiar phoenix aeon fly down.

Rikku took her chance. "Cover your eyes!" She threw a grenade of some sort in front of Seymour, who looked down at it. A bright flash blinded everyone, and screams filled the air.

The group fled.

"Wh-What was that?" Wakka shouted.

"An Al Bhed flashbomb!" Rikku replied.

Kimahri was dragging Tidus out. "Lemme go! I'm gonna kill that Seymour."

"Yuna said leave! We leave!"

"We'll join up with her later!" Lulu said. 

"Break through!" Auron shouted.

They reached the entrance of a building, away from the chaos.

"So…where did Yuna go?" Naruto asked.

"Bevelle Palace is temple. Yuna goes to one place only," Kimahri said.

"The Chamber of the Fayth," Kakashi concluded.

When they entered the temple, they were met with a long spiral staircase.

"It's too quiet," Lulu observed.

"A trap?" Yamato suggested.

"Who cares?" Tidus said, "Yuna's waiting for us!"

"If it is a trap, we're no good if all of us fall into it," Jiraiya mused aloud as he rubbed his chin between his index finger and thumb.

"What do you propose?" Auron asked, surprising the shinobi.

"Well, we all shouldn't stay in the temple," the Sanin stated, "I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to ambush."

"That's assuming that they know we're in the temple," The Copy-nin pointed out, "Now what's the likelihood of that?"

No one knew the answer until Auron spoke up. "Likely. They're probably giving Yuna enough time to obtain the Aeon, and now that Yevon knows we'd walk until the end of Spira for her, they'll figure that we'll be with her."

"Then its settled," Jiraiya said, "Us shinobi will lie low outside and wait for you guys."

"And if it is a trap?" Lulu inquired.

"Your faith in us is insulting," Sai said with a smile.

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out," Naruto grinned as he gave Tidus a thumbs-up, "Now go on! Yuna's waiting!"

Tidus pumped his fist. "Right!"

The room filled with puffs of smoke, and the guardian group was met with air.

"What, just happened?" Wakka asked, looking around for the missing people.

Tidus turned to look at him. "It doesn't matter, they're somewhere outside now. C'mon!"

Rikku approached a device that was near the entrance of the stairs. She cocked her head. "Huh?"

Wakka, who was nearest to her, saw what she was looking at. He gaped. "What's a machina doing in the temple?"

Rikku shrugged. "I suppose it comes in handy."

"That's not what I mean!" Wakka growled, "The teachings! What about the teachings?"

"Hey, don't look at me!" Rikku said as she waved her hands in front of her. She tampered with the device for a minute, and a platform slowly road up the staircase. The group boarded the platform down.

When they reached the bottom, they were faced with a computer screen of some sort.

Wakka placed a hand to his head. "Another machina? Man..."

"So this is Yevon's true face," Auron said, "They betray their own teachings."

Wakka sighed, "They treated us like dirt."

After some moments figuring out the Bevelle's Cloister of Trials, they finally reached the Chamber of Fayth.

Tidus tilted his head. "Yuna?"

Wakka crossed his arms. "Inside, maybe?"

"Then what are we standing here for?" Tidus exclaimed as he walked up to the door. Bending down and grasping the bottom in his head, he struggled to lift it.

"H-Hey!" Wakka shouted.

Tidus growled in frustration. "You can stuff your taboos!" He tried again, this time, Kimahri helping out. With a pull, they managed to lift the chamber door. Once open, they looked at each other and nodded, before Tidus walked in.

Tidus found Yuna praying to something that looked like a hologram. Tidus's eyes widened. The figure she was praying to was the short mysterious person that he first saw back in Zanarkand!

"Wh-What's that?" he asked himself.

"A fayth."

Tidus turned around to see Auron. "They join with the summoner, and together receive the aeon," the guardian explained, "They are human souls, imprisoned in stone by ancient Yevon rites. The dead should be allowed to rest."

The figure moved forward and entered Yuna's body. A bright flash of light filled the room as she fell unconscious.

"Yuna!" Tidus cried as Auron decided to walk out of the room.

Picking the summoner up, Tidus went to carry her out, only to hear Rikku's voice call out to him.

"Wait, don't come out!"

()()()()()()

"Pervy-sage, I hope you're not using Yuna as a model for one of your books," Naruto eyed his mentor warily.

They all were scattered close to each other on a room that oversaw the temple.

Jiraiya cleared his throat. "As much as I would have liked to, kid, Yuna's a beauty, but she's not really…Icha Icha material if ya catch my drift." His eyes went glossy. "Now that black mage on the other hand…" his hands made a squeezing motion.

"Can it, you perv. No one wants to hear that," Temari cut him off.

Sai was busy sketching the palace of Bevelle in his sketchbook. While the rest where sitting down, playing the waiting game.

"I sure hope Yuna's okay," Sakura said with worry across her face.

"With a guy like Tidus, she will be," Naruto told her, "Don't worry."

"Don't forget about Auron," Yamato spoke up.

"Huh? What about Auron?"

"Guy seemed like he knew what was going to happen. He doesn't let on that he knows more than he should, you know?" The ANBU captain explained.

"Yeah, and he acts like he's on a mission," Kakashi added, "There has to be more to this pilgrimage than just honoring Tidus's and Yuna's fathers."

"What are you saying, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked as the other shinobi listened with interest.

"Auron has been a guardian before, and has seen it through the end. That means he has lived through the experience of a summoner's pilgrimage. My question is, if he's already been through that, why put himself in that situation again?" Kakashi explained, "Call me insensitive, but if he already knew the outcome, has _seen_ the outcome, then why even bother?"

"Hmm, that's a good question," Jiraiya mused, "It could be that he wants to put a stop to all of this. Like you said, he knows something we don't. On a different note, Naruto, have you thought of a plan yet?"

"Huh? Oh, um…well I haven't really thought about it."

Everyone sighed.

"Hey, a lot has happened within the last 2 hours, gimme a break!"

Temari quickly hushed the boy. "Hey, shut up! Something's happening!"

They all looked over to see the other group walking out of the temple, and surrounded by guards. Yuna was unconscious in Tidus's arms.

"Yuna!" Sakura gasped.

Kakashi put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Sakura. We can't do anything right now. Looks like she passed out, that's all."

"So it _was_ a trap," Jiraiya murmured, "But why wait that long?"

"Auron said it was to give Yuna time to get the Aeon," Yamato echoed.

"Yeah, but the question is, why?" Temari said.

"Well whatever it is, it doesn't matter because we have to help them now!" Naruto hissed.

"Well what do you propose Mr. Genius?" Temari asked dryly.

"We—"

"Will not march in there and save the day," Kakashi finished.

"But—"

"Typical plan for the dickless," Sai commented.

Naruto fumed at Sai's beloved nickname for him.

"How about we just send in one or two of us in there?" Sakura suggested, "Does anyone have ear pieces with them so we can rely information?"

"I might have a couple," Temari said as she pulled out a scroll and unraveled it. After doing a couple of seals, she placed two fingers on the scroll and two headsets appeared.

"You have headsets?" Naruto said with surprise.

"When you do a lot of spy missions, they become second nature to you," Temari shrugged. She looked at the group. "Now, who are our volunteers?" she said with a smile.

A certain Copynin slowly gave a cheerful look to a former pink-haired student of his. She in turn narrowed her eyes at him, not knowing what was in store for her.

**A/N:** Oh. My. Gosh. It's been wayyyyyyy too long, and I apologize to you readers! Between my own project, my job (yes, I got one towards the end of June), and then me not feeling up to writing, it's been really hectic. I know this story by heart now, it's just the writing that I have to do! I really appreciate you guys reading/reviewing/favoriting/alerting/etc this story, and being patient with me! I swear, I WILL finish this story. Maybe not as quickly as you all would like, but someday, I can officially mark it as my FIRST completed fanfic! ^_^ Until then!

Also, I apologize to those who expected a fight with Evrae. But if I was going to do it, I want to do it right, and not give you a half-assed version of it. However, I thought did think my alternative was pretty clever…


	15. IMPORTANT NOTE!

Dear readers,

This message will go on all of my stories.

I know what you're all thinking—hurry up and update the damn story! And I want to give you all a HUGE apology for taking this long to even say something. But here's the deal…

I am a month away from becoming a senior in college. As some of you may know, I am majoring in creative writing. I have my first book in the works (it's actually a book series, but whether or not the series will happen is up to the editor and publisher). Next year, it's all about me editing and revising the book—which will be completely written by the end of this summer. So, with that being said, I literally have ZERO time to work on these stories. That doesn't, however, mean that I'm not thinking about them. I do have chapters planned out, just not written (some of them are at least started). But I have no idea when I'll be able to get them.

Again, I sincerely apologize to those who have been returning to the story to see if I've updated. If you have an account, my advice is to make sure you are on the story's "Alert" list so that you don't have to keep checking—you'll receive an email that will tell you when I upload a new chapter. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed my stories, favorited them, put them on story alert, and also those who have put me on their "favorite authors" and/or "author alert" lists. I am truly grateful to you all, and fanfiction has done nothing except keep me writing.

Until then!

~Yuesmlihui~


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